Burn Your Broken Mask, My Dear
by lostshinigamiespada6
Summary: Due to Grimmjow Jeagerjaques' exile to the world of the living, Lord Aizen is searching for a new replacement for the sixth Espada. This causes the mysterious appearance of Amelia Truite, a girl with unknown powers and unknown origins, into Hueco Mundo. Ulquiorra Cifer is given the assignment to capture and imprison the half-human girl, but he finds it more daunting and...
1. Prologue: Wind and Pouring Rain

Uncle Balthazar is calling me.

I run down the sidewalk, my skirt wrapping around my legs in a soggy mess. The rain is pouring down, getting my braids wet and I'm so cold. I hate water; just so annoying and wet. Well, duh! I'm such a captain obvious. I bump into a few adults, who give me mean looks.

I look around, but I can no longer see him. "Uncle Balthazar?" My voice is lost in the rain and crowd. "Uncle Balthazar, where are you?" I shout again. Nothing. My heart is racing and I begin to run. Where did he go? Why did he leave me? I'm soaking wet and scared. "Uncle Balthazar!"

I hit something and fall to the ground, my vision distorted.

I look up and, for a second, I feel fear; cold, frozen fear creeping in my soul. For standing before me is a man with haunting, yet beautiful and hypnotic, green eyes not much unlike mine. They stare at me, dead and cold. The color, the dark emerald green, spills onto his stark white skin in a tear-path, making him look like he is in a state of permanent sorrow. His hair, or what strands stick out from his black hood, is raven, almost midnight sky black. He is so tall, so intimidating. Unsmiling. Who is he? I get the feeling that, somehow, I know this man.

"Are you alright?"

He spoke. I jump a little. He is so statuesque that I didn't expect it. "Um, yeah! I'm, ah, I-I'm sorry about that, mister," I stammer, trying to stand up. Suddenly, he swoops down and lifts me up gently. I am stunned again, and as I regain my footing I look up at him again. "What is your name?" he asks me, staring down at me with those eyes.

"I . . . I am Amelia Truite. A-and you? Who are you, sir?"

The man just stares at me, but his eyes do change a little. They are not as steely, not as cold as they once were. But he still does not smile. "My name is of no consequence to you, Amelia. All I want to do is take you back to your uncle. For a price." I look at him. A price? "What sort of price, sir?" I ask, a little scared. My uncle always told me never to talk to strangers. But this man . . . he isn't a stranger. Wait, yes he is, but . . .

He kneels down so that his eyes and mine are level, so that I cannot escape. He takes my hands, very gently. I see his hands, long and gray, with black nails. They look delicate, but they are actually very strong. I can feel it. For a moment, time stops. It's as if the world is frozen, as if the wind, the pouring rain, the blood in my ears; the heart in my throat, they all stop.

"Amelia," he says, "If I find your uncle, your family, everyone that you hold dear, will you be mine, forever?" I look at him and the last few words are almost whispers. This man, this stranger that I know so vaguely it kills me, has asked me to give myself, my body and soul, to him. And I do not even know his name. Yet, this does not upset or disturb me. The way he looks at me, the hood face, is suddenly so . . . lonely.

A part of me understands. I understand that part of him I see now. I am just like him. I am alone, really. My parents are gone; not dead, just missing. Gone. My uncle, whom I know loves me, is hardly around. He goes from city to city and leaves me alone. By myself. I am nine years old, and yet I have never celebrated a single holiday or school event with anyone. I don't even have any friends. I am alone. I am lonely. And this stranger is too, from what I can see. I grip his hands and look him straight in the eyes.

"I will. I promise."

Without a word, he takes me by the hand and we glide through the crowd and the rain. My heart has slowed and my breathing, my senses are normal. I am calm again. The rain has lost its chill and the wet is barely noticeable. His eyes don't even search the crowd. It's as if he knows exactly where my uncle is. I look up at him, but he only walks, his black cloak concealing his entire form.

"Amelia! Amelia, where are you?"

It's Uncle Balthazar! I smile and look up at the man. "You found him!" I say, walking in front of him. I let go of his hand and bow. "Thank you, sir!" I say. He looks down at me again, and then slightly nods. "Do not forget your promise, Amelia Truite. I will see you again," he says. He places his hand on my head and leans down. His lips brush my cheek and he pulls away, his face inches from mine. "You shall know me soon," he says. "Now go."

Suddenly, I feel a pair of arms pick me up and lift me into the air. "Amelia! I found ya!" Uncle Balthazar! "I got lost!" I say. "But someone helped me find you!" I hug him tightly. "Who, Amelia?" he asks, kneeling down, his face smiling. I smile back. "He's right-"

The man is gone, as if he were but a ghost.

"Where did he go?" I say into the rain. "Well," says Uncle Balthazar, "whoever that fellow is, he was a mighty fine soul. I'm just happy I found you." He pats my wet hair and takes my hand.

I turn and look back, hoping to see the man again; the man with the green eyes. He really is gone. But, for a second, I feel as if something is watching me. I smile, in case he is still there. I can't wait to see him again.

Then, I forget, as if it were all a dream.


	2. Chapter 1: Awake in the Desert

I am Amelia Truite. I am the Legacy of Fire.

It's a long story. Yeah, that obviously means I have powers and I control fire. I am so a captain obvious. Most people are like, "Oh, Legacy? What that?" Dear God, people! Think! Maybe it means a certain race, you nitwits! Dear God! I am only half human, the other half being Lakie. I am a half breed. YES! NOW LET'S MOVE ON!

Anyway, right now I'm sitting in the cafeteria of the safe house. Yes, a safe house. I may have freakin powers, but that also means I have big, bad things always coming after me. It sucks, trust me. Huhhh, well, to make things even more boring, I'm waiting for my sister, Ashandyll, to get her ass over here so we can talk and eat lunch. She is taking her sweet old time!

Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Anyways, so being a Legacy is more than just being a chick or dude with powers. It's about skill and instinct; how you hold your weapon, how to survive in the universe, to be strong. Even when the ones you love die. Damn it, sorry. Got mushy there for a moment. My Uncle Balthazar died a few weeks ago. Yeah, still a sore subject . . . He died when I was kidnapped, and he died with my Protector, Jack. He blames himself for that, but I know it wasn't his fault. The poor guy. Too many bad things happen to him.

"AMELIA! EARTH TO AMELIA! DO YOU READ?!" I snap out of my thinking and see Ashandyll, her long white hair down at her waist and her cutsie girly outfit. I feel so dorky sitting next to her sometimes, since she and I are total opposites. We're only half-sisters. We actually have so little in common. She is so girly with white long hair and so outgoing. I, on the other hand, am very anti-social with a quick temper, have very short black hair, with only two strands that stick out in front and go down to my collar bone. I hate girly clothes and I hate people. Dammit, we are also different on the Legacy scale. I am the Legacy of Fire, and she the Legacy of Water. I simply am nothing like my sister. But we are still very good friends.

I smile a little. "Hey, Ashandyll. Wondered where you were," I say. She doesn't notice my greeting, but immediately goes into criticizing my clothes. I am wearing just a black t-shirt and worn blue jeans, with an army camouflage jacket. Very casual and comfy. She's throwing a diva fit. "I thought you were going to wear the cute little pink jacket today, with the ruffled shirt and skirt!" she says. Now my blood is boiling! She mentioned three terrible things in one sentence! Pink, ruffles, and skirts are absolute, positive NOs! I hate them. All of them. BURN THEM TO THE GROUND!

"Amelia, you're burning your plate!"

I look down and my hands, which are gripping my plate, are on fire. In fact, my whole body is on fire. "Shit!" I say, instantly turning off the flames. "Sorry, Ashandyll. But remember that I had said no to ALL OF THE ABOVE?!" Honestly, I love her, but she is a little dense. And I can be too. So that's one thing we have in common, I guess.

We sit in silence for a while. We do this a lot than one might think. She understands that I am a solitary person, and we leave it at that. But we do talk. I actually like talking to Ashandyll. She and I may be different, but our opinions and such are very much the same. But today, this silence is different. She looks at me with a worried look. "Amelia, what's wrong? You've been acting strangely all day," she says. I take a sip of my soda. I have been moody all day. I nearly broke my opponent's arm today in sparring and got mad at a few of my teachers today.

I honestly don't know what's wrong. It's as if there is a wedge, somewhere in my soul, that drives people away from me. I have tried my luck with two guys already, but one betrayed me and the other is avoiding me. My friends, the ones I met here at the safe house in Cairo, are growing away from me slightly. For almost sixteen years, I have been alone or left alone. Only Ashandyll is left. I sigh. "I'm fine, Ash. Don't worry about it," I say.

That's when all hell breaks loose.

The world becomes a blur a large, black mouth of darkness has been ripped open in the wall and sucks me in. I can't breathe, I can't move; I am paralyzed. My mouth moves to scream, but no noise comes. I hear someone scream my name, but I can't see who, for the darkness has sucked me in and has devoured me.

But when I open my eyes, the darkness has faded and the blue sky greets me. What the hell? I sit up and all around me is sand and sky, a brutish sun overhead. This is a desert? How did I end up here? This is so unusual. Then I laugh a little.

Maybe this is loneliness after all.


	3. Chapter 2: Sands of Bitterness

Here, in Hueco Mundo, nothing is sacred.

There is nothing here that you can keep. In the end, it all falls away like the sand beneath me feet. So why bother even try? I hear about the humans, who hold onto anything they hold dear. They hold it close to their hearts. But I ask, what is a heart?

The humans, the weak, wretched mortals in the world of the living, have the most impossible notions. I have never seen a heart. I bet if one came here to Hueco Mundo, it would be broken, shattered in this unmerciful world. A heart, a ridiculous notion.

My name is Ulquiorra Cifer. I am Espada Number 4. I have no heart.

I look away from the desert, for I hear him call me. Lord Aizen has summoned me. The next thing I see is him, sitting on his throne above me. He leans forward, a small smile on his face. He has an assignment for me. "Ulquiorra," he says. "We have a situation that only you can take care of." I am confused now. There are plenty of other capable Espada, but only I can take care of this situation? That doesn't make sense, but I do not say anything. "What is it, Lord Aizen?" I ask. He stands up and descends down the long stairs, his face like stone, a small smile still on his face.

"There is an intruder in Hueco Mundo," he says. "This intruder is very powerful; he or she has powers that are almost that of an Arrancar's. You must find the intruder and bring him or her here to Los Noches." He reaches the bottom of the stairs and stands in front of me. "Yes, Lord Aizen. I shall bring the intruder back to you." I bow and turn to leave, my thoughts now on the intruder. "Ulquiorra," he calls. I turn again.

"Yes, my lord?"

"If the intruder is a Soul Reaper, however, you must kill him or her. Understood?"

"Yes."

I walk out, wondering evermore why he chose me.

I walk amongst the sand, searching for the intruder.

He can't possibly be far. Yes, I believe him to be a he until we meet. It seems more than likely to be a male. What woman would come to Hueco Mundo? I feel the spiritual pressure coming closer and closer. It increases each time I step closer. I hear something, but I can't make it out. It sounds like a voice.

I flash away, preparing for a fight.

I have resorted to talking to myself. In Lakie.

Yes, I believe I am going insane, but who knows. I need to talk with something, or someone. Maybe someone lives in this desert. I kinda doubt it, though. It's so desolate. I mean, it doesn't bother me in the least. This desert maybe hot, but I'm good with it. That's one of the benefits of being the Legacy of Fire. I don't even need to really breathe oxygen. I could even freakin' live in outer space! But that's not where I ended up. So where the hell am I? This seems like Earth, but it has an extraterrestrial feel, as if I'm on Terra or Lakianlu. And trust me; I know what they look like. This probably isn't either.

Hold up; someone's coming.

I feel a presence coming towards me, and fast. I reach for Hadie, my sword. Her blade glints in the light, since it is a fire sword. Actually, it's THE fire sword. Hadie literally means "the flame" in Lakianlu. She is a powerful sword. I grip the hilt tightly and call out, "Who's there?"

Then it feels like a whirlwind hits me. I am knocked to the ground, pushed into the sand and far away from my position. I stand up quickly and just barely block an attack to my face. I don't see the attacker yet, but I shove off the sword and whirl around, sending a kick the attacker's way. I see a blur of black and white as whoever-it-is dodges my attack and disappears. He appears behind me, I know. I flip backward, Hadie doing a complete circle under my body. I hit nothing and land on my feet. And I see him.

I have never seen anyone like this. The man is pale white. His clothes, his skin, his sword, even a weird remnant of a horned head piece; they are all white. There is also a hole at the base of his throat. But his eyes are so green, dark forest green and deep in his face. From his eyes are green lines that extend to his chin, and his hair is short and dark. His unsmiling lips are black. He is no Lakie. He is so fast, but I know that I'm faster. He is lunging for me, but I sidestep and swipe down with my blade. It deflects of his sword and we stagger away from each other.

I stand up and look at him again. He stares at me with those eyes and I feel frozen. "Who are you?" I call to him, gripping Hadie. He lifts his head slightly. "My name is Ulquiorra Cifer, Espada number 4," he says. "And who are you, intruder?" Espada? What the hell is an Espada? "I am Amelia Truite, and I am not an intruder. What is this place?" I call back. But before the last word comes out of my mouth, he attacks again, his sword inches from my face. "You ask too many questions," he says, his voice cold and calm. This guy is intense! Of course, I should have been paying attention, but this is so different. No one from the four planets fights like this guy. Where am I?

I disappear and reappear behind him, taking a swipe at his legs. He countered my attack and sent me flying with a kick. I stand up and rush to him, yelling as I lift Hadie above my head. He stands there, waiting. I feel my skin begin to burn and I smile. The adrenaline is fueling the flame within. The blade is swinging down, but he catches it. With his bare hands. Oh, my God. I am beyond shocked. His hand should be sliced in two! I look at him. He stands there, staring at my sword. "I am here to take you with me," he says. "I am taking you to Lord Aizen, since you are clearly not a Soul Reaper." Now he's talking about something called a Soul Reaper. What the hell? "Who is this Aizen?" I ask. "Why are you taking me to him?"

He looks up at me. "Lord Aizen seems to have taken an interest in you," he says. Okay, this shit is getting weirder and weirder. I am SO not going with this creep Ulquiorra! I have to get out of this place. He lifts me by the sword and throws me behind him. Again, sand gets all over me. Thank goodness my hair is short now! He turns to me and I pass him, seeing his eyes watch the spot where I was and slowly turn as I move. I have to get rid of him and fast. Well, I do have one option. Fight with all I have.

I turn and hold Hadie before me, my right hand still holding the hilt, my other hand pressed on the back of the hilt. "Crash and Burn," I begin, then take the hand behind the hilt and slide it over the blade, "Hadie!" The blade is no longer bright and thin, but thick and longer, the blade now branching off into two blades like a dragon's tongue. My regular clothes change into my fighting clothes, a green tunic with silver swirls over leather trousers and knee-high black boots. The blade is in flames now, bright and intense. Ulquiorra stares at me, unimpressed, which is fine with me. I'm not trying to entertain this guy.

"Lord Aizen was right," he says. "You are a powerful being. However, you appear to be human." He says human like a person would say the word spider. It irritates me. "Yes," I hiss. "I am human." I disappear quickly enough so there is still an imprint of me left behind, thus distracting Ulquiorra, then reappear behind him as the imprint vanishes. He is too slow as I bring down my sword and manage to cut off the tip of his horn. His green eyes widen and stare at me as the tip falls to the ground and disappears in the sand. I grin. "Don't underestimate me, though," I say. Hadie rages in my hand.

Suddenly, a wind picks up. That seems a little unusual. I continue to hold Ulquiorra's gaze, though, so as to make sure this fight is over quickly. But, before I know it, my vision blackens, and my body goes numb. Oh, my God! I'm falling.

Am I going home?

The intruder is in fact a female.

Everything about this girl is out of place. She is a human, so where did she get her powers? She is not afraid of me, as many humans are. She even has her own sword, which managed to scrape me. This is impossible. Amelia Truite, the girl lying on the ground before me, is a quandary. A mistake.

I see Gin Ichimaru, Lord Aizen's second in command, standing over her. He just immobilized her. "Well, well, Ulquiorra," he says, that perpetual smile on his face. "It seems the girl is capable of anything. Including fighting you. If I hadn't come, I fear you would have killed her, and would be unable to fulfill Lord Aizen's command." I stare at him, my calm returning. The man always is irritating. He leans towards me, the girl in his hand. "You remember what happened to Grimmjow when he went against Lord Aizen, don't you?"

I know. He was banished to the world of the living because he went on an unauthorized mission to seek out and destroy the Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki. Yes, I remember. "Yes," I say. Gin cocks his head. "Consider this a favor, for which you shall pay me later," he says. Now I am under this man's control. "Yes sir," I say.

Then we return to Las Noches.


	4. Chapter 3: Blood in the Fire

From the darkness came the light, and there the light shall return.

I cannot see, nor can I feel. My limbs, my body, yes even my thoughts are like lead. I can't blink, so my eyes must be closed. So, the only thing that goes through my head is the Lakianlu proverb: From the darkness came the light, and there the light shall return. We are all from darkness and so is the light. Therefore, all beings belong to the darkness. That is what our Lakie history and literature taught us on the first day of class. And that struck me funny. If we are all truly from the darkness, then we all truly have a dark side. I know that I do. She looks me in the mirror every day.

Then, a spark fills the darkness of my mind and I can see a little. I see her. Me, actually if you get all technical. Fire stands before me and her face is once again the same unsmiling stone it always has been. "Do not fall into this abyss, Amelia," she says to me. "For those who fall in will never wake." I look up at her and try to focus. "What is this place, Fire?" I ask groggily. She looks at me. "This is a world beyond the universe; a sort of pocket in space. This is Hueco Mundo, a place also known as the world of Hollows, evil souls that torment the world of the living," she says. "But the man you just fought is not a Hollow, but an Arrancar. He is a sort of evolved Hollow that has been twisted to look like a human. His mask has been broken, hence the name Arrancar." I'm a little confused now. "But he said he was the fourth Espada," I said. "What did he mean?"

She nods. "They are the most powerful of the Espada, created by Lord Aizen. They are ranked by numbers, the first ten being the most powerful, therefore the name Espada. They are this Aizen's personal army." She looks at me with her fiery eyes. "He wants you for reasons I don't know." I feel a little scared. "How do you know so much about him?" I ask. She sighs. "There are many things I know, Amelia," she says. "I am Fire. I am omnipresent. I have been around since the beginning of time. Trust me. I know things that would make you want to hide away in the deepest caves and never come out.

"That," she continues, "and Aizen and I have met before." I look at her in surprise. "You what?" She nods. "He is not as old as I, but he is older than many humans. I know many people, but he was the most memorable. He is a dangerous man, and he is one that cannot be won by sheer strength. You must have your wits about you." I try to move, but I still can't. She smiles. "You, however, shall be fine. I have your back, as always. All you have to do is trust me." I nod, knowing she is right.

Right now, I feel so scared, like a little girl. It's terrible and I feel angry. She waves her hand at me. "Now wake up, my child. Aizen waits for you." Her voice echoes in my head as I open my eyes and look up.

I am in a room that is filled with darkness and moonlight. I look down and there is a bed beneath me. I can tell if it's comfy or hard. It feels sort of in between. I sit up slowly and see that I have gotten back into my normal clothes. Great. Well, I'm alone at least. I look down and see nothing is out of place. On my right is a large wooden door; to my left is a long window above me. It streams in moonlight, which I find odd. I stand up, but my limbs feel terrible. Whoever knocked me out did it very roughly. I feel like I got ran over by a semi-truck. This sucks.

Suddenly, there is a knock at the door. I turn and stretch a little bit. "Come in," I say. "Ow!" I stretched a little too much. As I rub my arm, the door opens and there he is. Ulquiorra Cifer is at my door. He stares at me with those intense eyes and I return his gaze. For a little while, we stand here, staring. I could do this forever, since he . . . well, he is rather cute. I shake my head at the thought. "What do you want, Espada?" I ask, crossing my arms slowly. It hurts a little. He turns a bit. "Lord Aizen has requested your presence," he says. "Come with me." I sigh. "Whatever." I slowly walk out, trying not to lose my footing.

I can feel him watching me, but I ignore him. He walks behind me as I walk down the long, white corridor. It is a rather haunting place, this Hueco Mundo. So black and white, I feel like I stepped into a 1920's silent film. It seems to take forever to reach the end of the corridor. The only things I hear are the sounds of our footsteps hitting the floor. It's okay, since I don't like talking anyways.

I look up and see a large door, taller than any that I've ever seen. I feel a little dizzy just looking at it. As I walk to it, it opens and there before me is a huge, dimly lit throne room. At the end of the room is a long stair case and a bone with throne with a figure I can't see yet. My stomach is going in knots, but I gotta go in. I take a step into the dark room and immediately I feel as if a wall hit me in the face. What the hell? I walk, but it weighs down on my aching body, so I end up sort of limping all the way to the base of the stairs.

"So you are the intruder," says the figure.

I look up at him and squint. "Um, yeah, I guess." These people throw out that word so often that it's just getting irritating. "What is your name?" he asks. What is this, twenty questions? "Amelia Truite," I say, crossing my arms. "And who the hell are you?" I can automatically feel the dead silence turn tense. I knew that would stir things up. A smile tugs at the side of my face. The man's voice does not change, but I feel a slight irritation in his voice. "I am Lord Aizen, ruler of Las Noches," he says. The figure, Lord Aizen, stands up and begins to walk down the stairs. Suddenly, two men come down the steps behind him, each wearing a white robe much like Aizen's and Ulquiorra's. One is a man with white hair and a smile that extends past his lips and to his cheeks, making him look sly or even mad. The other is sort of silent, with purple dreads, a visor over blind eyes, and an orange scarf, which strikes me odd. The man in the middle, Aizen, is a different matter.

Aizen reminds me of the man who betrayed the safe house in Cairo. Winchester Ermen. Odd name, I know, but what can I say? Aizen has nearly the same walk, the same air, hell even the same expression as Winchester. The two could be identical twins almost. This is freaky. His hair is light brow, with a sort of 1920's curl in the front, which is actually kind of a good look for him. His eyes are the same color of brown and his face is seemingly frozen in a sort of unreadable smile. When he looks at me, a chill runs down my spine. The same look Winchester gives me when I see him. My fists tighten as I gaze into his eyes, not even backing down for a second.

He stops before me, his hands at his sides. "Amelia Truite, and what else?" he says. Oh boy, I was hoping to avoid this. I won't tell him. Nope, nope, nope! Not in a freakin million years. "What do you mean, what else?" I say. "I told you. My name is Amelia Truite. I am a human who has no idea how I got here and would really like to go home now." Buy it, will ya? But from the look in this man's eye, I can tell he isn't buying it.

"Do you, Miss Truite," he begins, circling me, "expect me to believe for even a second that you are just some ordinary human? That you somehow got lost here in Hueco Mundo and nearly beat one of my finest Espada in battle, you an ordinary human?" He laughs. "Come now, Miss Truite, you can't even begin to convince me of that." I sigh. He even taunts me the same way, the whole "Miss Truite" spiel and all. Damn him. I glare at him from the corner of my eye. He is so annoying. "So why don't we start over," he says, placing a hand on my shoulder. Oh, boy I am so close to hacking off this dude's hand, I swear. But I smile. "Where would you like to begin?" I say. He turns away, his hand sliding off my shoulder. "I want to know what you really are, Miss Truite," he continues. "I want to know what kind of being you are, capable of beating an Espada." I giggle a little. "Well, he doesn't seem beaten to me," I retort. I eye Ulquiorra and see the severed tip of his horn and his expressionless face. And I know that I'm partially wrong. I hear Aizen sigh. "You are truly trying my patience, Miss Truite," he says, the small smile still on his face. "I am not a very patient man."

Aw, too bad! You pull me into a desert, you get a cranky Amelia. That's your problem. I shrug. "I don't know what you want me to say," I respond. "My mother always told me never to talk to strangers." I see the smile widen. "Really?" he says. "That's strange, being that you have never seen your mother, nor have you ever spoken to her." I feel my blood boil, but my smile widen. This man is a real piece of work. He talks like that about my mother, he'll pay.

Big time.

This girl is the most impertinent being I have ever laid eyes on.

Here she is, in the middle of Las Noches, speaking to Lord Aizen as if her were her peer, a dog to be looked down upon. She plays games with him, cajoling him. She's lucky she still has her head. Why does Aizen not punish this disrespectful girl? From behind her, I see her fists curl and relax, as if she is waiting to find an opening. I grip my sword, ready to attack.

Gin and Tōsen stand next to me. Gin smirks at me. "Well, well, if it isn't Ulquiorra," he says. "Stuck as the girl's babysitter! How fitting that the one almost beaten by her is now her prison ward." I only look at him from the corner of my eye, then back to the bantering of Aizen and the girl, Amelia. "Tell me what you are, Miss Truite," he says to the girl, walking towards her slowly, like a predator. "This doesn't have to be very hard on you, unless you make it so." The girl curls her fists again. "And why does it matter what I am, Lord Aizen?" she asks, her voice mocking as she spits out his name. He stops and his smile has faded. She has crossed the line. "You are a powerful being, Amelia," he says darkly. "You possess powers that I have only seen once in my lifetime and yet you are part human. So, tell me, Amelia, what could a lowly human like you possess that could possibly be enough to even nick an Espada?"

The silence is almost eternal, but I wait. The answer has weighed on my mind for quite some time now. Amelia bows her head, her fists now curled so tightly they are white. Hurry it up, girl. You're trying everyone's patience. Then, she looks up, her voice now clear and deep. "I am part Lakie, from the planet Lakianlu, home to the Fire Race. I have the ability to control fire." Her hands uncurl and her voice echoes across the room. That explains the fiery sword. Lord Aizen looks at the girl and comes closer, almost inches away. "That is not all, though," he whispers loud enough for me to hear. "There is more that you're not telling me." What else could there be? Is she more powerful than what I saw in the desert?

She turns her head to him, and her green eyes are defiant, her lips smiling. Why does she smile? Does she still think she can win? I don't understand. She opens her lips and says, "I am the Legacy of Fire, the Toenso Generation." Lord Aizen smiles. "A Legacy? It has been ages since I last saw a Legacy," he says. "No wonder you're so powerful."

A Legacy means nothing to me. How does Lord Aizen know of them? What is it about them that makes them so powerful? She looks at him, her eyes filled with questions. He looks at her and grins. "You know, you look a lot like the former Legacy of Fire," he says. "Her name, if I remember right, was-" "Jintel Guthren," she interrupts. She glares at him. "I know her very well." I still can't believe the gall of this girl. Lord Aizen smiles down at her. "Ah, do I sense resentment?" he says. "She must despise you for taking her powers, am I right?" She says nothing, but does a ghost of a grin.

Lord Aizen walks back up the steps, Gin and Tōsen following. Gin turns and smirks at me again before he follows Aizen up the long flight of stairs. "You may take her away, Ulquiorra," says Aizen as he nears the top of the steps. "I will call for her again soon." I nod and proceed to take her by the arm. Suddenly, my hand goes through her arm and she disappears. What is this?

I see a flash of orange and then find her at the top of the steps. It's Amelia. I grab my sword instinctively and begin to rush up after her when Lord Aizen holds up his hand. "Stay back for now, Ulquiorra," he says over his shoulder. I want to protest, knowing that this action of his is foolish, but one does not go against Lord Aizen. I put away my sword and watch warily.

Amelia stares down upon them, her green eyes dangerous. The little smile, the one that always annoys me, is on her face. For once in my existence, I feel irritated. This girl, this human girl, has gotten under my skin. Then she says in a low, but deep voice, "Do you think that you can just send me away like a mangy dog to its cage? I know for sure that my coming here wasn't just some freak accident, and so do you. So, cut the shit and tell me what you want with me."

I see Aizen stand there, his form almost statue still. He disappears, flashing away. I know that he's about to destroy her. I wait for the blow, the ending of the disrespectful human. But she disappears as well, her body gone in a cloud of smoke. I hear a cling and see the two of them behind me, swords drawn and a bright show of power. Lord Aizen holds his sword against her two-tongued blade, watching for any sign of strain in her eyes. I can't tell very from here, but she appears to be holding her own. She pulls away and goes into a fighting stance. And she mutters two terrible words.

"Consume, Hadie!"

She explodes in a column of flames, the orange eerie light travelling along the halls. The sight is almost too much to look at. This is more than the power I felt in the desert. I am beyond amazed. She could probably have beaten me, like Gin said. But why didn't she? The heat from the flames is intense, but not too terrible. The only thing I can really notice is her, the human. And a strange feeling fills me. Is this respect?

I'm tired of this man.

He brought me here; I know he did. The way he looks at me, his taunting speech. Oh, he gets under my skin. Aizen, the son of a bitch, is baiting me. He's testing the waters and he wants to see how far I'll go. I think that what I did, bursting into flames like this, has given him plenty of material to go on. Damn. "Fight me, you bastard," I hiss. This is what I want. I want him to fight me so I can get the hell out of here. But he stands there, staring at me with that terrible smile. "Now why would I do that, Miss Truite?" he says. He places his hands on his hips casually. "If I brought you here, I must have reason, after all." He closes his eyes and shakes his head.

The flames roar all around me and I know, deep in my heart, that I made a mistake. I stop the fire and stand here, my fighting clothes now visible. I glare at him. I am beyond angry now. What could he want? "Why did you bring me here, Aizen?" I ask. "What do you want?" He opens his eyes and stares at me. "You will find out soon, my dear," he says. "Very soon."

With that, he turns and walks back up the stairs, leaving me speechless. I have just showed him my power and I feel so . . . vulnerable. I feel Ulquiorra take me by the arm.

This time, I do not flee.


	5. Chapter 4: The Moonshield

Amelia walks back to her room without a struggle.

She says nothing, does nothing to indicate any emotion. I can't read her. She is a complete mystery to me. Amelia Truite, this human girl, is so powerful. And yet she lets Aizen have his way. I am so confused. "You want to know why, don't you Ulquiorra?" she says suddenly, not even turning. I say nothing. I will not dignify this girl with an answer. "Why didn't I release my full power when we first met?" she continues. "That's simple. I hate to flaunt my power so uselessly, contrary to what you saw in there." She then is silent, not even turning around.

I open the door to her room and let her in. The echo of her footsteps instantly cease as she enters the room. She walks to the middle of the room, and then turns her head slightly. Her green eyes, like that of a reptile's, pierce into me. They are cold-cutting, almost like steel. I do nothing. I wait for her to speak, for I can feel it in the air that she wants to. Then she just smiles. "Thank you, Ulquiorra. I will see you tomorrow." She turns away from me and focuses her attention to the moon, the white crescent of light in the inky blackness of Hueco Mundo.

I shut the door, dumb-founded slightly. Why did she thank me?

Does this girl delight in confusing me?

"Why, Lord Aizen?"

He looks down at me, his eyes gleaming. He called me back only moments before. He goaded me, asking me the question that seemed to be on his eyes since I came back with Gin. "Why what, Ulquiorra?" he says to me. "I can't answer your question if you don't ask it fully." But he does know; I know that. The games are always the same. I play along. "Why did you bring the human here?" I say. "What is her purpose?"

Lord Aizen is still for a few long moments. He's is enjoying this. I wait, not in the mood for his games. The girl put me in a bad mood alright. "Ulquiorra, what do you think of the girl's powers?" he asks suddenly. What? Why is he asking me this? "Her powers are almost that of an Arrancar, Lord Aizen," I reply. "They are not Espada level, but they are actually quite impressive." It is true. She is very strong. Her presence would cripple an ordinary Arrancar.

He smiles. "What if I told you that she wasn't even at half of her true strength?" he says. "Amelia is actually struggling to keep her powers buried, hidden from us." My eyes go wide. That's not possible. It can't be. "My lord?" I say. Lord Aizen nods, leaning on his hand in a nonchalant manner. "Yes, it is true. She is what is known as a Legacy. It is rare to ever actually see one, for they have never lived or come near the Earth itself. Earth is home to the Legacy of Water, who is never seen ever. It is said she faded into the planet, completing her exile from the other four. Amelia is the Legacy of Fire, the new one. There was one before her, name Jintel Guthren, ruler of Lakianlu. They are very powerful. They would be a powerful army."

A Legacy of Fire. That doesn't explain her human side. Lord Aizen continues. "The new generation, the Toenso Generation, are composed of half-breeds. The spawn of humans and inhabitants of the Four Planets: Terra, Yuthren, Halgin, and Lakianlu, the homes of the four Elements. Her humanity, though, does not seem to hinder her power. In fact, it seems to make it stronger. Perhaps . . ." He trails off, his eyes lost in thought.

A human girl with powers like that is just impossible. This must be a mistake, a ruse. But I know it is not. Lord Aizen then looks at me again. "I have a plan for her, Ulquiorra," he says.

"But it would be best for you to wait and see what will happen."

There's a knock at the door.

I bolt up out of my sleep and rub my eyes. Don't tell me it's Ulquiorra already. "Hunh, come in," I call, sigh as I stand up. The door opens and the light streams in. And it isn't Ulquiorra. This guy, yes a guy, is a little taller than Ulquiorra. Plus, there is no horn remnant in this guy's silhouette. "Sorry for intruding," says the man, his voice sort of oily and oozing. The door closes and I see his face in the moonlight. God, this guy is even more bizarre than the others.

This Espada or I assume he's an Espada, has short pink hair that sweeps in front of his face, slightly over a pair of silver, double-wire glasses. His eyes are amber, but sly and cunning. This guy just has worm written all over him. He smiles at me, his face slightly tilted to the side. "Forgive me," he says. "My name is Szayelaporro Granz, Espada number Eight." I am a little too dumbfounded to speak. This guy just has the air of flamboyant male actor. Jesus, he is odd.

I snap out of it. "Amelia Truite," I say. "How can I help you, erm, Szays?" He looks at me, almost a little upset. "My name is Szayelaporro Granz, girl," he says. He closes his eyes and pushes his glasses to his face. "I guess a pathetic human like you can't even attempt to say a name as magnificent as that, can you?" This guy is a narcissistic as hell. Oh well. At least he has a facial expression…

"Excuse me?" I say. "It's not my fault that your maker gave you a difficult-ass name." Now his face darkens. "What, are you jealous?" he asks. "It is the most beautiful name ever!" I sigh. "Well, can I call you Granz, then?" I ask. He grunts and rolls his eyes at me. "Whatever you want, human. Anyways, I didn't come here just to tell you my wonderful name." Finally! We can get on with it. "What is it?" I say, sitting on the edge of the bed, my head resting on my hand.

He smirks at me. "I need to study you up close," he says. "It's not every day a human comes to Hueco Mundo." I raise an eyebrow. Study me? The hell? "What are you, a freakin scientist or something?" I say. Granz glows like a child at Christmas. Oh lord, he is. "Yes!" he says, "finally someone who recognizes me for who I am! Maybe you aren't as dumb as I thought you were, human. Your name is Amelia, correct?" This is going to take a while, I can tell. "Yes," I say. "What would you like to know?"

Granz twirls around like a freakin school girl and laughs. "Oh, this is going to be a blast," he says. "First off, you can start by naming all of the internal organs and sketching a detailed map of the human anatomy!" Hold up, pause, rewind. The hell that I will! This dude is an idiot! I nearly failed Health because I could never remember the human anatomy. "Um," I say. "That's kind of difficult. Let's save that for a later date, shall we?" He seems to deflate, and I almost feel sorry for him. He reminds me of William, one of my few friends at the safe house. He is like a mad scientist too, only he's human and shy. But they share the same enthusiasm for science.

But he bounces back and now I forget those feelings instantly. "Well, then," he says. "Let's do some exercises with your body, shall we?" Oh boy. Now I _want _Ulquiorra to show up! This is just sad.

"Szayelaporro, what are you doing here?"

The Espada and I freeze and turn. There in the door way is Ulquiorra, his thin but imposing figure a silhouette against the light. I feel his eyes on me, the cold dead eyes that seem to always watch my every move. "Ah, Ulquiorra," says Granz in his oily voice. "I'm just getting to know this lovely girl is all!" He pats my shoulder and smiles down at me. He thinks I'm going to try and get him in trouble or something. Jesus. I roll my eyes and look at Ulquiorra again. This time he's closer, his face clearer. Yep, he _is _staring at me. Normally, I would hate it and make a stupid face. But, I don't know. There's just something in those eyes, in his face, that just makes me want to look back; to find something deep inside.

"Szayelaporro, leave," he says, turning his gaze to Granz. Granz protests. "But she would make an excellent study subject! Let me stay!" Ulquiorra stares at him and waits. Granz, after a moment, sighs and walks out with a huff. He slams to the door shut and I am alone with Ulquiorra.

I look at him and sigh. "You really didn't have to do that, you know," I say. "He just wanted to see what I know." This guy… He returns his gaze to me again. "He wanted more than that," he said. "Plus, he had no clearance to be in here." He opens the door and an Arrancar girl comes in with a tray of food. "Lord Aizen wants you to keep your strength up," he states firmly. I snort. "Wow," I say sarcastically. "He must really care. How sweet." The food looks sort of colorless and I have no idea what it is. What the hell, I'll eat it anyway. Why not keep my strength up? "This isn't out of care for you, girl," he says as I sit down. "Never mistake it for that." What is there no such thing as sarcasm in Las Noches? "Don't worry, Ulquiorra," I say. "I never shall. But, anyways, thanks for the food." I taste it and it actually isn't horrible.

He looks at me for a moment. "Why do you thank me?" he asks. I put down my fork and look back at him. "Well," I say. "I say thank you if someone brings me something. And I was actually hungry." My stomach was killing me since I hadn't eaten anything since lunch yesterday. Actually, I hadn't eaten at lunch. I was too busy talking. Sighing, I pick up the fork again and eat. He is STILL STARING…..

Looking up again, I smile. "Is there something you want to ask me, Ulquiorra?" He doesn't change his expression or anything, but his eyes flicker. I hit home on that one. I wait for a moment, eating my food. It's all gone by the time he speaks.

"What are you?"

Wow. That is probably a question I ask myself every day. And he asked it just now…. "Um, well," I start. I don't know how to explain. Never had to before. Then again, maybe I should start somewhere. Even to Ulquiorra. Maybe it'll be kind of therapeutic. I stand up and wipe my mouth with a napkin. I fold my arms in front of my chest. What to say? "I guess I'm not really anything," I continue. I look out the window. "I have lived many places, seen many things, and done many deeds. But I never really understood, truly, what I am. I have searched, but I haven't found out yet."

Damn. When did I get so deep and philosophical? I laugh to myself. I turn and look back at Ulquiorra from the corner of my eye. He is assessing me carefully. "You know nothing of what you are?" he says. He seems a little surprised. "You, the human girl with powers?" I smirk. "You know my name, correct?" I say. "Please call me by my name, not girl. I know I'm a girl." I sit on the bed, sighing. "Is there more, Ulquiorra?"

I think this is very good for me; I don't feel quite so lonely.

This girl is annoying.

It's like she can read my mind, which is impossible. She can't possibly be capable of it. Now she is pestering me with questions. Why is she acting so calm when she is captive here in Hueco Mundo? I should say no. But I can't. "You are here, in Hueco Mundo. And yet, you have no despair. No fear. You should be afraid." I continue, "You will probably die here, Amelia. And yet, you are carefree, lively even. Why?"

She looks up at me, her green eyes staring hard at me. She is silent for a while. I feel a little bit . . . unsettled. Her gaze is just too strong. But I still look back. Then, she smiles. "Ulquiorra," she whispers. The way she says it sends a chill up my spine. I have never had that happen before. "If I die," she continues, "that will be that. However, my spirit is tied to another, so I would not truly die. My spirit, the essence of Fire, will go to another, and the Legacy of Fire will be someone else. No, Ulquiorra Cifer. I am not afraid." Her eyes seem to be rimmed with embers, making them glow. She stands and walks past me. "Do you understand?" she says in a whisper.

I say nothing again. Nothing she said made any sense. Her soul being attached to another? She could never die? That's impossible. I turn and leave. The image of her eyes is planted in my head, haunting me now. I start to close the door when she says something to me.

"What are you, Ulquiorra?"

I turn slightly. The question seems odd. "I am an Espada," I answer. She looks at me again. "That isn't what I meant," she says. "What are you as an individual?" What a stupid question. "Once again, I am Espada number Four."

She fully turns now, her face serious. Then she looks at the moon, then me again. "If I were to identify you as anything, Ulquiorra," she says, "I would say you are a Moonshield." I raise my eyebrows. "A what?" I ask. "A Moonshield," she says coming closer. "A being that moves through space and has neither home nor anyone to call family. They drift between a planet and its moon. They block the light of the moon and are called a Moonshield." She smiles at me and turns away.

I close the door behind me and stand there a moment. What she said hit me, deep down. I could almost believe what she said about that. Maybe I am.

I am Ulquiorra Cifer, the Moonshield.


	6. Chapter 5: Sexta Espada

I wake up to the sound of machines.

I open my eyes and see Granz there, setting up some funny-looking machinery on the far side of the wall. "Wow, hold up," I say groggily. My head is still fuzzy from sleep. "What are you doing?" Granz turns to me, his amber eyes dancing with excitement. Oh crap. "Why, good morning, Amelia!" he says, his oozing voice hurting my ears and head. "I was wondering when you would awaken! I was just getting ready for some experiments."

Oh no. No experiments. I stand up and stretch. "That's a no, Granz," I say. "Especially with that weird machine." He seems to ignore me. "We will be seeing how your internal processes work and test you muscles' capacity of strength," he says, staring at the machine proudly. How did he even get it in here? I shake my head. "Granz!" I say. He looks at me, a smile on his face. It seems cruel to say no, but what he suggests is too much. "No way, Granz," I say again. "Sorry." He frowns a little. "Now, why ever not?" he asks. I smile. "I'm not a lab rat, and I don't like machines that do that." Then an idea pops into my head. "I do have a good test for you, Granz," I say to him. "Let's spar."

For a moment, he stares at me. Then he bursts out laughing. "You?" he says in between breaths. "You spar with me? A human?" He laughs some more. Then, he stops and shrugs. "I t may give me some valuable data. Alright, let's go." YES! Finally I can practice again!

He takes me by the hand and we flash away. I am so excited! When we stop, we land in a walled section of sand and sky. The walls seem to touch the sky and the sun is just to the left of the wall, making the place feel a little cold. But, it's a sparring ground. I turn and see Granz, his eyes closed like a cat's and his hands at his sides. "Do you have a weapon, Amelia?" he asks me, opening his eyes slightly. I nod. "Of course." He smiles and pulls out a sword. The hilt is normal till the part where it connects to the blade, where it seems to be a cluster of purple circles. He holds it up to his face and grins. "This is Fornicarás, my zampakuto," he says. "Where is your weapon?"

I reach back and pull out Hadie. I see her glint in the sunlight, bright and silvery. I hold her straight and place my hand behind the hilt. "This is Hadie, my sword," I say. "Your sword means to fornicate, am I right?" He looks at me in surprise. "That is correct, my dear," he says. I nod. "My sword is from Lakianlu, the home of Fire. The name of my sword is literally 'the flame'." He stares at me, confused. "Wait, what are you talking about?" he asks. "I thought you were human."

"Oh, I am," I say. "At least, I am half human. I am also a Legacy, Granz. I am the Legacy of Fire." He seems to have a momentary lapse of freak out, then returns to normal. "What else have you not told me, Amelia?" he asks, his voice oily again. I smile. "If you want to find that out, Granz," I say, "then you'll have to fight me for it." He laughs. "Will do, my dear!"

I call out my first form. "Crash and burn, _Hadie_!" The blade forks like a dragon's tongue again, flames dancing on the edges. Granz comes at me from the right, his sword raised, his grey blade swinging at me at incredible speeds. The blade lands between the forked blades, creating sparks. I twirl and kick at his midsection, but he flashes away and comes from the air, his blade above his head. He smiles as it comes down. I sidestep and push off the ground, launching myself at him. Our blades connect, and we are nearly dancing in midair, avoiding blows and swipes of the blade. He catches my blade at one point, smiling. "Nice try, Amelia," he says to me, his right hand on his hip. I'm not shocked. This must be an Espada thing. I whirl around and grab him by the blade of his sword, which really surprises him. "WHA-?" he says as I fling him to the ground. I laugh. "Did you like that one, Granz?" I call. "Because I have more where that came from!"

He smiles at me, his sword at his side. "Well, if you do, I guess we should level up!" He takes the sword in both hands and declares, "Sip, _Fornicarás_!" He then takes the sword and swallows it, his mouth glowing. What the hell is this? That is so weird! He begins to grow, and a mist appears, blocking him from my view. When the mist clears, I gasp. His back hosts four branch-like things, with red dangling sacks spread apart. His glasses are gone, with a white band over his brow and two fan-like decorations on either side of his face. On his left eye are four purple lines. The lower half of his body has become a multitude of purple tentacles reminiscent of a sea anemone. His feet extend from under the tentacles, which are then replaced by a layered dress-like garment. His upper torso is now a segmented and form-fitting gray garment, with white sleeves extending from the elbow and down to a wide opening at the wrist that reveal a purple interior. Three small, dark purple extensions span upward from the elbow, while four long, dark purple strands that look like falling drops hang from the underside of the sleeve itself. His hands are now white, and his fingertips are slightly elongated and purple. His hair has various purple drop-like strands. What the hell?

"Do you like this, Amelia?" he says. He smiles at me, his eyes now seemingly creepier due to the four purple lines. Wow. "This," he continues, "is my Resurrección, my release form." Once again I say, WOW! This both awesome and vulgar. "Do all Espada have Resurreccións?" I ask. He laughs. "Yes, all of us," he says. "But mine is by far the best, I can assure you." Oh, great. Now I'm stroking his ego. I sigh. "Well, that certainly is impressive," I say. He does another twirl, giggling. "I am pleased you find it so!" he says. "But," I say, "Not as impressive as my next form." He freezes and looks at me again. "_Your _final form?" he says. I laugh. I take Hadie and touch the place where the fork begins in the sword.

"BAN-KAI!" I bellow and the air seems to shake. My sword cracks and squeals, the metal breaking in half. The sword is now two swords, or tonfa. I hold them at my elbows, my hands at my sides. My fighting clothes have changed too. My green tunic no longer has sleeves, but torn at the edges where they were. My back is now exposed, showing my Legacy symbol on the back, which is a green flame. My black trousers are ripped and my boots are taller, with blades on the heels. The strands of hair in the front of my face are now thicker and longer, clipped to the back of my hair, making loops. Finally, my face is now tattooed with fine lines of green. I smile a little. "Well?"

Granz grins mischievously. "Fascinating," he says. "I thought only Soul Reapers did Bankai." What? There are other Bankai users? I shrug. "Does it really matter?" I say. He laughs. "I guess not. Let's continue!"

"What are you doing here?"

I look up and see Ulquiorra again. His green eyes stare down at us. But when he sees me, his eyes perceptibly widen. "Ulquiorra, what a wonderful surprise!" says another voice. I look and see Aizen and his two lackeys, Ichimaru and Tōsen. He seems to be mocking Ulquiorra, but I can't really tell from down here. Ulquiorra looks at Aizen and bows. "Lord Aizen," he says. He seems slightly flustered by the look of his eyes. Other than that, he seems calm. Aizen smirks. "Looking for your charge, are we?" he says. "She didn't somehow leave without you knowing, did she?" Damn! Now I feel sorry for Ulquiorra. He actually didn't deserve that. Ulquiorra looks at me, then at Granz. "He knew where I was going," I call out to Aizen. "He was just coming to check on us." Aizen looks down, surprised. "Well," he says. "What are you up to now, Miss Truite?" Oh shit. I forgot to get out of my release form. Now he sees more of my powers!

I stand there, staring at Aizen. I so hate this guy. If only he'd come down here and I could wipe the damn smile off his face! "Lord Aizen!" calls Granz. I look at him, panic in my chest. Don't do it, Granz! Don't tell him! I WILL FLIPPIN' KILL YOU! "Yes, Szayelaporro?" Aizen says. Granz puts his hand to my back and calls back, "Isn't this amazing? She has different forms! She also uses Bankai!" Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit, DAMMIT! He told him. I glare at Granz. He looks at me and I can tell he's very confused. I sigh. It really isn't his fault. He didn't know.

"Release forms," says Aizen. "Bankai as well! Very good, Szayelaporro! And how good of a fighter is she?" The bastard is enjoying this! "She is an excellent swordsman! She has amazing reflexes and very strong. I had no idea she was only half human either." Well, at least I fascinated Granz. But this is bad. Very bad. I can tell just by the way Aizen stares down at me. What does he want with me?

"Szayelaporro, please bring the girl up here," says Aizen, smiling. Oh no. Nope, nope, nope. This is going to be very bad. I could try to flash away, but where would I go? I have no choice. I take Granz's hand and before I know it, we are at the top of the wall, standing between Ulquiorra and Aizen. I have never felt so vulnerable. My Bankai clothing has faded away and I am now in normal clothing. I stare at Aizen and wait for him to speak.

"Amelia Truite," says Aizen, "come with me." I feel frozen and my limbs are like lead. Granz looks at me and lets go. "Come on," he says, reverting back to his normal self as well. I still can't move. Fear, cold raw fear, has filled me and I can't breathe. MOVE, DAMMIT!

"Amelia."

I turn and see Ulquiorra, his green eyes looking at me. He moves his hand outward and places it on my shoulder. "Let's go." His voice is barely more than a whisper. Suddenly, it's as if my limbs melted, because I can move again. I don't know why, but when he put his hand on my shoulder, I felt okay. I didn't feel the fear that had crept into me. I step forward and begin walking behind Ulquiorra, my hands fidgeting in front of me.

We are in Aizen's throne room, with me at the bottom of the stairs.

I look at Aizen, who walks towards me. "Miss Truite," he says. "I brought you here for one reason. I wanted to see how powerful you were." He turns away and reaches his hand out towards Ulquiorra. As if there had been a silent command, Ulquiorra nods and pulls out his eye. I nearly vomit all over the floor as he puts it in Aizen's hand. Aizen turns back to me and smirks. He seems to find my discomfort hilarious. Then, he takes the eye and crushes it, which forms a screen of glowing particles. The particles take shape and I start to see moving images.

Before me is a live showing of a blue haired man walking down the street, talking to an orange haired guy. There isn't any sound, but the conversation looks to be tense. "This, Amelia," Aizen continues, "is Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, the former Espada number 6. He was exiled from Hueco Mundo because he disobeyed my orders. So, I am an Espada short at the moment." He waves away the screen and I see him again. That's when it hit me. Oh hell no.

"Let me see if I got this straight," I say suddenly. "You are going to make me take his place?" He smiles. "Yes, that was the plan," he says. "You certainly are strong enough, Miss Truite. Just think, you will no longer be my prisoner." I scoff. "That's bullshit!" I say. "I would most definitely be your prisoner! I refuse to be one of your soldiers!" I'm shaking. I can't do this. If I have to, I'll fight to the death, but I won't become an Espada.

Aizen grins. "Oh, don't worry," he says. "I'll take good care of you, Amelia." Suddenly, the ground sinks in and the ceiling drops and everything goes black. "NO!" I scream, trying to run, but I'm too late. The darkness consumes me and I am lost.

Then, I pass out, but not before I hear Aizen say, "Sleep well, Espada number Six."


	7. Chapter 6: Draco

I watch as Amelia is overtaken by the capsule.

I hear her scream and I close my eyes. The sound is actually too much to bear. Why do I feel like this? Why the feeling of remorse and regret? I knew that this was coming sooner or later. That and she is just an annoying girl. But she was more than that. I look over and see Szayelaporro, his face tinged with surprise. "Lord Aizen," he says. "You are making Amelia the new Sextus Espada? But why not create another?" That is a good question.

Aizen looks at Szayelaporro and smiles. "This girl is a Legacy," he says. "They are almost as powerful as Espada, and they happen to have more forms than Espada. This girl, I wasn't sure if she had developed her full powers yet, but when you and she fought, Szayelaporro, I knew she had. Now, we will have stronger Sextus Espada." He turns back to the capsule, which is now opening.

I look over as well and see an accumulation of smoke. Part of me dreads what she might be now, but the other half doesn't really care. When the smoke clears, I am stunned. There, standing before us all, is Amelia. She is a little taller than before, her normal clothes gone and replaced with a long white jacket that goes to her knees and white pants with black boots. Her shirt is shorn just a little above the rib cage in a jagged line. Her head is covered in a white hood, but her black hair is now long, down to her waist. Her face is paler now, with fine green stripes like she had earlier. And her Arrancar mask was curious indeed. It extends from her neck to her jaw line, with sharp teeth and breaks off at the tip of her jaw. It also hangs down from the top of her head to eyebrow level, with deep heavy set rims like that of a reptile. Her eyes, though, were slightly different. They were larger too, but the pupils were more ovular, like a reptile as well. She stares at us, her hands at her sides and her jacket brushed aside enough for us to see the hole in her stomach.

Lord Aizen claps his hands. "Marvelous, my dear," he says to her. "But where is your number?" She glares at him, her eyes now cold and cutting. She then raises her hand. On her palm is the black numeral six. My eyes widen. It worked. And she has changed a lot. She is less casual, more serious and deadly. She has the same edge to her eyes, but now she has a less human-like appearance. She is truly an Espada. And I feel a certain loss. Szayelaporro comes closer and inspects her. "My, my," he muses, looking at her face, then all over in a quizzical manner. Amelia turns her head and glares at him. "Granz, what the hell are you doing?" she says suddenly, folding her arms. He looks up, shocked. "You can speak?" he asks. "New born Espada can't usually speak." Amelia rolls her eyes. Maybe she is still human…. This is all too difficult to understand. "Well, I can still talk apparently," she retorts.

She looks at me and tilts her head. "Ulquiorra," she says, "your mouth is open." I am beyond shock. I quickly clamp it shut, aghast. What is the matter with me? I hear Lord Aizen chuckle. "Ah, Amelia," he says. "It's good to have you back." She looks at him with pure hatred, which could quite possibly get her punished by Tōsen. Again, why do I care?

Why DO I care so much about her all of the sudden?

What do I look like now?

I mean, I can see my now-pale skin and blackened nails, the hole in my stomach and the new attire, which is actually cool. But I can't see my face and the way Ulquiorra was looking at me tells me that I really changed a lot. But I can't think on that now; I have to deal with Aizen. And no, he is NOT my new master. I will kill myself if he even tries to insinuate it. "You look divine, Amelia," he continues, walking down the stairs. I am so tempted to slice the bastard in half. "Shut up already," I snap back. I am seething now, angry. In a flash, the man with the purple dreads, Tōsen, stands before me. He tries to land a blow on me, but I side-step it and grab his hand. I jump into the air and drop kick him, sending him flying. Come at me again, you little bastard, and I'll give you worse than that.

Tōsen starts to get up when Aizen appears and places a hand in front of him. "Enough, Tōsen," he says. "Leave her be." Then he turns to me and smiles. "From now on," he continues. "You shall be known as Draco, for you true form is that of a Dragon." He knows that how? I mean, I know it, but I've never shown it to anyone. Keywords here are _never_ and _anyone_! So how did he know? I hear Granz exclaim, "More forms! We need to spar again!" Oh good Lord. This dude could be Will's twin brother. That would be just too much to bear….

"No."

Silence fills the air and all eyes are on me. Suddenly I am aware there are more people in here than there were second ago. The other Espada are here. But all I do is stare at Aizen. "Excuse me," he says, shaking his head and putting his hand on his forehead. "I could have sworn that you just told me no. Do you not like your name, Draco?" I feel like I'm suffocating now. I have so many people staring at me now. But I must fight this. "My name is not Draco," I say. "My name is Amelia S. Truite. I will never be known as Draco."

Aizen laughs. "Always the stubborn one, aren't we, Draco?" he says. I clench my fists. How dare he! "Now turn, my dear, and greet your fellow Espada." I do, very slowly. And I wish I hadn't. They are so different, all those cold, dead, mocking eyes. They look at me, the new girl, the girl who does not belong. It's like going to a new school. I hate it, all of it! Aizen begins naming them: Coyote Starrk, Baraggan Louisenbairn, Tier Harribel, Nnoitra Gilga, Zommari Rureaux, Aaroniero Arruruerie, and Yammy Llargo. They watch me like prey, waiting for me to fall or scream. Aizen calls me Draco Extranjero; the Foreign Dragon. I guess it's appropriate.

Ulquiorra and Granz stand next to the others, all looking at the ground. I guess they are as close to friends as I can possibly have in this situation. Aizen, Tōsen, and Ichimaru circle me like hawks and I just stand here, frozen to the spot. Ichimaru smirks at me. "Welcome, Draco," he says. "Let's hope you aren't as disappointing as Grimmjow." Now I feel for the former Espada. He must have done something pretty bad to be exiled, is my guess. If I find him, I'm making him come back here. He will be the Sextus Espada again, and not me.

God, I wish this were over.

"Now, Draco," says Aizen. "You are going to fight with one of the Espada here." Wait, what? Oh this should be a freakin blast. I look at Aizen with my eyebrow lifted. Who was I going to fight now? "Nnoitra, come forward."

A ridiculously tall man with long jet hair steps forward. He wears a spoon-like hood and has an eye patch on his left eye. He smiles down at me, almost snake like eyes peering at me. God, he must be seven feet tall at least. "Ah, a new one," he says. "Let's see if you're any fun to play with, hmmm?" This guy is too creepy.

And suddenly, we are transported to the desert, the dome of Las Noches in the distance. The moon is out and the sky is black. Only a few scraggly plants stick up from the sand. We face each other, the other Espada watching us. Nnoitra sneers at me and pulls up his sword, a double crescent bladed sword that is attached to his waist. "This fight will be finished," calls Aizen, "when the other opponent will no longer be able to move. Begin when ready."

Nnoitra smirks. "You ready, Draco?" he says, saying the name with relish. Damn the name. Damn it all. This guy is going down. I take off the jacket, as it feels terribly constricting. I let it fly off into the wind, and now my sword is exposed in the back. I wish I had a hair tie because my hair's too long now. But I can't stop it now. "Come and find out, Nnoitra," I hiss, a smile on my face. Oh yeah, he's goner alright. He laughs, and then suddenly launches his sword at me. I block it easily, sending it flying back. I then flash towards him, wielding Hadie above my head. He looks up and our swords clash and spark. Damn is he strong! "What's the matter, Draco?" he taunts. "Are you getting scared? Am I too strong for a fragile girl like you?" Did the bastard just call me a fragile girl? That's a definite no. I flash a way fast enough for my form to still look like it's there, but as it fades I come up from behind, Hadie reaching out for his face. He turns just in time, a look of slight shock on his face.

"You're fast," he says, analyzing me slightly. I grin, "Good of you to notice." I pull away and go low, aiming for his feet. He flashes away and appears again, the double crescent blades way above his head. He is cackling like a mad man, which I kind of find comical. I side-step his blow and push myself into the air with my hand and launch myself at him. I hear the words the teacher always drills into our heads at the safe house, "Always keep yourself close to your enemy. He won't be fast enough with his attacks or he will do them so poorly that you will most definitely have the advantage." I just hope he was right, because this Nnoitra is epically strong and fast.

Hadie's blade is caught by his wrist and deflected. I smile, remembering that Espada have sort of armored skin. Wait a sec. Does that mean I, too, have armored skin? "Are you admiring my Hierro, Draco?" he says to me. Hierro? That must be the name for the armored skin. "It is the best out of all the Espada! Now are you afraid? You should be very afraid, Draco. You won't survive long enough to see what a true Espada is capable of." I can't help it; I just burst out laughing. "I should be afraid because you happen to have good skin?" I say between giggles. "That is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! Me afraid of a freak like you! Ha!"

Well, I officially have pissed him off. His smile turns into a sneer. "You are a foolish girl," he says. "You mock what you do not understand. That will cost you." I shake my head. "Nnoitra, how old are you?" I say suddenly. He looks absolutely shocked and confused by the question. "Why do you want to know?" he asks. He squints at me with his one eye, his sword ready.

"You say I do not understand," I begin. "But what do you understand, Nnoitra? You only know a lot about a little. All you know is Hueco Mundo and everything in it. By comparison, the spirit that resides in me has lived nearly five thousand years. She may know a little about a lot, but she does know quite a bit more than those of you who live in this little pocket of the universe." I hold Hadie up to my face and admire the blade. "Do you even know what I am? What I was before I became an Espada?" I continue. I wait for an answer and, as expected, he doesn't answer. I look at him again. "I was, and still am, a Legacy. You probably don't know what that is, but it doesn't matter now. All that matters is that I have met men like you; men who boast about how powerful they are, how perfect they are. They are all the same, and they all end the same. They all face death. So, you saying I do not understand may be true, but what I know dwarfs the things that you do by far."

Nnoitra stares at me, his snake eyes filled with confusion. I smile. Good thing I know how to monologue because I' m not there anymore. I am behind him, my sword ready. And this time he doesn't react fast enough. The blade goes to his ribs, possibly breaking two ribs and spraining three more. He lets loose a gasp and looks at his side, the sight of the cut seeming surreal to him. He turns to me. "You little sneak," he hisses. "You cheated!" I raise an eyebrow. "How did I cheat? I thought you had the best Hierro of all the Espada?" I taunt now. "Was I wrong?" He growls and charges me. "Shut up, you little twerp!" he bellows, the blades coming at incredibly high speeds. I simply step to the right and watch the blades glide by with a smile on my face.

He pulls back his sword and hisses. "I guess I have no choice," he says. He raises the sword above his head and calls out his Resurrección, "Pray, _Santa Teresa_!" Suddenly, the ground seems to shake and he begins to glow a sulfurous yellow. The top crescent of his sword begins to release a yellow substance as well. When it all ends, Nnoitra sneers at me. He now has four arms, each holding a blade that seems like quarters of the blade. He has a gold mark on his face now, with a pair of horns and his eye patch is gone, revealing a mini mandible on his left eye. He looks like a praying mantis, as is the name sake of his sword, Santa Teresa.

It's actually quite impressive. This is the second Resurrección I have seen thus far. I smile at him. "Very interesting, Nnoitra," I say to him. "Now you just look like a bug." Yes, I made him mad again. It's childish, I know, but I always do it when I fight. He scowls. "Let's see what your release form is then," he says. Good idea. I actually am a little curious. "Fine," I say and hold out Hadie. I place my hand on the back of the hilt like always and bellow the words, "Crash and Burn, _Hadie_!"

I move to wipe my hand along the blade, but something different happens. I am wrapped in flames suddenly and I feel myself change. What is this?

She can call out her Resurrección earlier than most new born Espada could!

What has Lord Aizen created? She's more powerful than Nnoitra, I can see that. But can he? The flames last for a moment then clear away. I can't help but be amazed by what I see. Amelia, or Draco as she is now to be called, has by far the most amazing release. She is even taller now, almost a foot taller and nearly six inches shorter than Nnoitra. On her back is a pair of scaly green wings with horns on the ends. Her fingers are elongated and her nails are now blackened claws. Her wrists are decorated with black straps, crisscrossing up her arms to her forearm. Her hair is nearly covered with an enlarged top half of a dragon skull and her jaw has an extended jagged jaw line. Her eyes are now green embers, the whites gone and the pupils nearly straight lines. The markings on her face have gathered into one broad line down the middle of her face. And her sword has been broken in two, just like it was when she had called out her Bankai earlier.

Nnoitra stares in disbelief and I hear the other Espada mutter amongst themselves. Szayelaporro is nearly wide eyed and seems to be plotting some sort of experiment for Amelia in his mind. Draco, I mean. For Draco. I must remember this now.

"What do you think, Nnoitra?" she calls out, her voice actually a little deeper and louder than before. Nnoitra visibly snaps back and sneers. "It's a wonder you can see anything in that ridiculous mask of yours," he calls. She laughs at him. Laughs like a mad woman. Then, she disappears faster than any Arrancar or Espada could ever hope to. Nnoitra barely blinks before she appears again, the tonfa in her right hand landing a blow to his face. He reels back and tries to defend, but she has already landed another blow with her left tonfa. As he reels again, she taunts, "I think I can see perfectly well, Nnoitra."

He swings with his right two arms, his mouth now in a permanent scowl. "Get back here!" he calls. He's getting desperate. It's not that he is afraid of dying; he is afraid of failing in front of Lord Aizen and the other Espada. And he seems to being close to defeat. She giggles a little and raises both tonfa. My eyes widen as I see her deliver a blow that severs both arms. She then sends him flying away, his face no longer visible. I must look terribly shocked because Lord Aizen turns to me and smirks. "Impressive, isn't she, Ulquiorra?" he says. "Yes, Lord Aizen," I say. "She is extraordinary."

Lord Aizen gives what looks like a knowing smirk, then turns away.

Nnoitra appears again, his limbs regenerated and swords in hand. "You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?" he leers at her, his smile back. She seems unfazed. "Oh, whoop-di-do, Nnoitra!" she says sarcastically. "You can regenerate. Big deal. But let's see if you can regenerate after this." She holds up her right hand, her tonfa at rest on her arm. Suddenly, a bright orange Cero appears at the tip of her index finger. It's just an ordinary Cero, or at least that's what appears to be. Then it changes. The orange is suddenly rimmed with green energy, one that seems unstable and hungry. What is that?

She smiles. "Sorry, Nnoitra," she calls to him. "But I have no choice." She lets loose the Cero, which lands on his left side. He screams in pain, which surprises me. He shouldn't have felt it! What was on that Cero? The screaming stops and the light is gone, but what I see is terrible. Nnoitra's left side is completely gone. His arms, his shoulder, and the skin on the side is gone, with part of his cheek is burned. He seems dazed, and then he tries to smile. "It'll grow back," he says in a low, raspy voice. "You'll see."

But it doesn't even start to.

He looks down and his eye widens. He looks back up at Amelia. Draco. He looks back up at Draco. "W-what did you do to me?" he asks. He balances himself on the remaining scythes in his right hand. He must be in agony for that to happen. She isn't smiling anymore. It's almost as if seeing him like this has sobered her. Why does she care that he's in pain? He's her enemy. "I used a Cero, as you can see," she begins. "But I added something what on Lakianlu is called _Yesil Alevler_, better known as the Green Flame. It is a pure, toxic derivative of Fire that is used in battle against an opponent with instant regeneration. So, in essence, I poisoned your system so that your regeneration will no longer work." She stares at him from in her mask, her green eyes almost expressionless.

She is powerful alright. With that capability, she could take out the Espada by herself. Aizen smirks. He knows this too. This causes a stirring in me. A certain fear. What is his plan now?

Nnoitra falls to his knees. "W-will they ever grow back," he says, almost in a whisper. Draco looks at him. "When the poison is diluted enough, yes. It will take time though. Probably a few weeks till it starts." She turns away and presses her tonfa together. They glow for a moment and suddenly she returns to normal. She swings her sword out, then places it back in the sheathe behind her. She regains her jacket and pulls up her hood. Without a word, she walks away from Nnoitra.

"Why don't you just kill me?"

Draco turns. She stares at him. We all look at her, waiting for her to make a move. She then shakes her head. "No," she says. "I will not kill you, Nnoitra. You still have a future. You just need to choose what you want to do with it." I look at her, my mind trying to process her words. We are Espada. We have no future. What is this nonsense about the future? It would be better if she killed him.

"Good job, Draco," says Aizen. "You have done beautifully." He smiles triumphantly at her. Draco glares at him, the simply walks away into the desert sand, towards the dome of Las Noches.

She doesn't even look back.


	8. Chapter 7: My Heartstrings Come Undone

I hate this, this terrible thing.

I partly want to rip the terrible mask off my face, to erase the name Draco forever. The name is like a curse, a mark that blackens my face. As I walk back to Las Noches, I gaze down at my blackened nails, my stark white clothes, and my pale skin. I think of how much I have changed, and it makes me want to scream. The look on Nnoitra's face, the pain in his eyes, it was just too much for me to see, so I just up and left. Damn Aizen till the day he dies.

The dome gets closer and closer, and I feel smaller. I feel terrified at the moment. What have I become? I am mostly a ghost of myself. The only thing that remains is Hadie, swinging at my side. Is my Legacy mark still there? I enter Las Noches, and I automatically feel a million eyes on me. He watches me, that damn Aizen. A thousand eyes, a thousand lies, a thousand stars no longer in the damn sky. Sometimes I think I could be a writer, but I never have time to. Oh, well.

"Draco."

It's him. I turn and see Aizen there, standing next to me. He smiles at me, his dark brown eyes dancing. What does he want now? "Yes?" I say, walking still. He smirks at my tone and continues. "You have the option of choosing your own Fracción, if you wish," he says. My own what? "What do you mean?" I ask. He nods. "A Fracción, a team of Arrancars that you yourself can lead into a battle. Do you desire to have a Fracción?"

Well, maybe. It might be good, since I might need back up in case one of the other Espada come after me. I mean, here in Hueco Mundo, one needs all the help they can get… "Yes," I say. "I think would like to have a Fracción." I hate the smile that creeps onto his face. I hope I'm not going to regret this.

I stand before Tres Cifras, home to the Privaron Espada.

Aizen told me that I could choose my Fracción from among them. I didn't ask why they were called the Privaron Espada, also known as the Deprived Swords. I think the meaning is pretty clear. I just hope that maybe there will be a few willing to work with me; then again, maybe not.

Now or never, I always say. I step inside and am very surprised by the quiet. It is bright, like Las Noches, but bone chilling and sterile. It kind of gives me the creeps, which never really happens to me. I am tempted to call out, but that probably wouldn't be the best of ideas. I walk along and find myself at the entrance of three tunnels. Why does this have to be so difficult? Oi.

Without thinking, I take the middle tunnel and sigh. It seems to be nearly the same section of purple wall with an orb of light. It's too quiet here. I mean, yes I am an Espada now, but Hueco Mundo is quite disturbing in all its simplicity. Then I feel a presence, not in any particular direction, but all around me. Someone is watching me. I smirk. It must be a Privaron Espada. I am fairly certain. The air seems to be filled with eyes as I walk down the hall. And then, he appears.

"_Bebé_, why are you here in Tres Cifras?"

I look up and see what quite possibly be the most ridiculous looking man ever. He has black hair and blue eyes, his hair resembles a pair of horns and he has a van-dyke beard and mustache. The remains of his Hollow mask consist of a small plate on his forehead that has horns mirroring those in his hair. His outfit is white of course, with fringes on the forearm portion of the sleeves, a poofy red sash tied at his waist, shoulder pads, and openings down the front which reveal his black undershirt. Could this man possibly be a Privaron Espada?

"Did you just call me _Bebé_?" I say testily. I smile at his audacity to call me a little girl. "I am looking for the Privaron Espada," I continue. "And I am just wondering, who are you?" The man laughs at me, lifting a hand to his forehead. "Oh, my dear girl!" he says. "Why do you seek the Privaron Espada? They have been banished from Las Noches, and are considered useless to Lord Aizen. So the real question, _Bebé_, is who are you and why do you search for the Privaron Espada?" This man is really frustrating. I didn't want to do this, but oh well. I raise my right hand and pull back the glove a little, exposing my number on the palm of my hand. The man's face changes. He looks at me with a little bit of wonder and confusion. "I am Amelia Truite," I say. "Espada number 6. And I seek the Privaron Espada in order to create my Fracción."

The man stares at me. "You are Espada number 6?" he asks. "But I thought that Grimmjow Jeagerjaques was Espada number 6." I nod. "He was," I say. "But for reasons unbeknownst to me, he was exiled from Hueco Mundo. So I guess you could call him a Privaron Espada as well." I watch the man's face curl into a knowing smile. "Ah, so Aizen-dono finally demoted one of his newest pets, did he?" he purred. Yep, he's definitely a Privaron Espada. I smile. They too despise Aizen. "What is your name, Privaron Espada?" I ask. He grins, happy that I acknowledged him as such. "I am Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio, Arrancar number 103. I am pleased to meet you, Espada number 6," he says, doing a sweeping bow. I like this dude already. "The feeling is mutual," I say. "So, will you consider being a part of my Fracción?"

Dordoni looks at me with a twinkle in his black eyes. That may be a yes. "_Bebe_," he says. "Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio would be honored to become one of your Fracción." I don't know why, but when he said that, I feel almost honored. Dordoni is different from most Espada or Arrancar that I have met. He seems to be almost like a knight, one who prides himself on honor and maybe chivalry.

"How many more are there of the Privaron Espada, Dordoni?" I ask. Dordoni laughs. "Oh, _Bebe_, come with me and I will show you," he says. "Together, we shall create your Fracción."

We walk down the tunnel together, and I have smile on my face.

I have not seen Amelia in a little while.

Draco, I mean. She seems to be off somewhere, perhaps sulking. She is still so human for an Espada. I shake my head as I walk down the corridor. I think mostly of the battle that I had just beheld. I have never seen anything like what Draco did today. The Cero with the _Yesil Alevler_ was beyond anything I have ever witnessed. Aizen was correct. She will prove to be one of the most powerful of the Espada.

Suddenly, there is a commotion that fills the hallway with murmurs and cries of shock. Looking up from the floor, I see Draco walking down the corridor followed by three other Arrancar I thought I would never have seen again. Behind her are Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio, Cirucci Sanderwicci, and Gantenbainne Mosqueda. I don't believe this. Why is she with the Privaron Espada? And why are they here in Las Noches? Many Fracción members and an Espada or two watch the procession down the hall with a mixture between shock and outrage. As she nears me, she catches my eye and smiles. Her eyes, those reptilian green eyes, seem to dance with mischief and glee. But there is something else there when she looks at me. I can't place it though.

"Hello, Ulquiorra," she says to me as she passes. "Where are you going with them?" I ask her, a little irritated. She stops for a second and laughs at me. "I am off to see Aizen. He 'needs' to know that I have my new Fracción members," she says nonchalantly. I must not be hearing right. She can't have the Privaron Espada as her Fracción. I look at them and they look upon me with cold steely glares. There is hatred in their eyes. I could care less. I turn back to her, but she has already left, the others following her. Cirucci turns and gives me a wink, then turns back. I don't understand why this is happening.

What is Lord Aizen doing?

"Very good, Draco."

That name again. That damn name I hate. The Privaron Espada look at me with confusion, not understanding why Aizen calls me Draco instead of Amelia. I'll explain it to them later. I say nothing to Aizen; I only nod. This seems to frustrate him, but he continues. "Dordoni, Cirucci, and Gantenbainne; it is good to see you three again." I turn and see they give him glares filled with malice. I smile, laughing to myself. This should be interesting.

Aizen is struggling a little. "I have recommended you to Draco because I believe that you all deserve a second chance. I am happy to see you all again." Once again, they are silent. I try not to smirk. The silence is deafening as there is a staring contest between the Privaron Espada and Aizen. This is too funny.

Finally, he sighs. "You may go." Relieved, I turn and follow my Fracción out of the throne room. Then a thought creeps into my head. "What happened to Nnoitra?" I ask, turning around suddenly. Aizen seems to be surprised by the question. "Why?" he asks. "Why do you care about the opponent you defeated?" I tilt my head. "Is he now a Privaron Espada, or are you still keeping him on?" I know I didn't answer his question, but he can get over it. He laughs a little. "He is still Espada number 5," he says.

I nod. "Good," I say. With that, I turn to leave, a smile on my face. Maybe being an Espada is not my ideal occupation, but if I can irk Aizen, then this is the best way I can do it. My Fracción is waiting for me and I walk up to them. "Let's go," I say. They follow behind me as we enter the corridor.

But I wasn't expecting what I saw next.

Before me stands Baraggan Louisenbairn, Espada number 2. He stands before us with a look of anger and malice on his ruddy, scarred face. "Draco Extranjero," he says. "Why have you brought the Privaron Espada here to Las Noches, from which they have been exiled?" I flinch as he uses the full name given to me by Aizen. He hates me with a deep and burning passion. I look up at him, his tall imposing figure looming over me. "They are now my Fraccion, Baraggan," I say. "Aizen has okayed them."

He glares at me. "But why did you choose them?" he continues. He looks up at Dordoni and seems to be sending a message to him mentally. Dordoni narrows his eyes. I look back at Baraggan. "I chose them because they seemed like a worthy Fraccion to me," I say firmly.

"But they are not welcomed here."

I turn and see Ulquiorra standing to my left, his hands at his hips as always and his head slightly bent. His green eyes stare at me like daggers. "They were exiled for a reason," he continues. "So why open a wound that has already scabbed over?" Damn, Ulquiorra just can't get off my case can he? I smile at him, my anger accumulating. "They are strong, though," I say. "They deserve to be recognized, to be pulled off the shelf and let them fulfill their purpose. In case you have forgotten, Ulquiorra, they were also Espada at one point." What is it with the Espada that they can't accept change?

"They are old," says Baraggan. "They should stay where they were put." I am now pissed. "And what are you, Baraggan?" I counter. "How long have you served Aizen?" Baraggan seems to flare up at this. "I do not serve that damn Soul Reaper!" he seethes. "I ruled Las Noches before he ever did! I am King of Hueco Mundo!" Wow, that was unexpected! Even Ulquiorra turns his head in surprise at the outburst. I tilt my head, confused. "So why are you in his army?" I ask. "I didn't choose to be," he hisses. "I would kill that damn Soul Reaper before I ever choose to be in anything of his." Interesting indeed.

Suddenly Dordoni speaks up. "We were the original members of Las Noches," he begins. "We were the Espada, the one and only. Baraggan was the King and we served under him. That is, until Aizen came and overthrew him. We were all under Lord Aizen until he created his own Espada, thus rendering us useless. There is only one remaining original Espada, Aaroniero Arruruerie. Other than that, Aizen has kicked most of the original Espada out. We have vowed revenge upon him when the time comes."

I look at Dordoni in surprise. "So," I ask. "The Espada here were made artificially, kind of like me?" "Yes, we were," says Ulquiorra. He glares at Dordoni. "Lord Aizen was not satisfied with the rate of growth or power that the original Espada, so he created us." Cirucci scoffs and looks at her nails. "He was just angry because we refused to swear our full allegiance to him," she says, glaring at Ulquiorra. She looks at me and shakes her head, "And he thinks he can make it up by bringing us back? I don't think so."

Ulquiorra and Baraggan both look shocked. "Did you say Aizen brought you three back?" says Baraggan. Cirucci smirks. "Yes," she says slyly. "He did indeed." I look down at my hands for a moment, feeling the tension in the room. Well, that takes care of that. I look up and see the staring contest that is taking place. I roll my eyes and say, "Alright, the reunion is over peoples. Time to get a-steppin'!"

I lead the Privaron Espada away from the two Espada, who watch us walk away in silence. My thoughts are not here, though. They are in wandering about the words that were spoken just now.

What to do now…..

I stand on top of the dome of Las Noches, surveying the desert beneath the stark white moon. It is so chillingly beautiful and haunting from up here. It reminds me of the Sahara desert, where my first safe house was at.

It fills me with nostalgia and longing for home. I haven't even thought of home for my entire time here. My Fraccion is downstairs, doing whatever they want, while I try to get away from it all. And, even though I am in Hueco Mundo, this feels good. I take in the air and close my eyes. For the first time, I have seen my full Espada form. It looks like my Bankai release, only a little more deathly. My hair is like Fire's now, though, which is kind of annoying because now I'm gonna have to wear it up. Too bad Ash isn't here to see it. She has always wanted me to grow out my hair.

"What are you doing out here?"

I turn quickly and see Ulquiorra, standing a few feet away. The moonlight exposes his pale face, the green stripes on his face sticking out clearly. His horn, dulled by the fight we had days before, seems to glow. When all is said and done, Ulquiorra is actually quite stunning. And perhaps even handsome. Damn, where did that thought come from?

"I needed some air," I say, turning to him. "How did you know I was here?" He stares at me. "Your Fraccion was wandering Las Noches, trying to see if everything was like before," he says. "They were creating quite a disturbance. That and Szayelaporro was looking for you. He wants to finish the fight you two started." I smile. Of course Granz wants to finish the fight. I actually had forgotten all about it. "Hehe," I laugh. "I guess I leave pandemonium in my wake where ever I go, right?" He is silent, still staring at me. "So," I say, breaking the silence. "Why are _you _here?" He lifts his head slightly and then moves his eyes to gaze upon the moon. "I am allowed to be here, am I not?" he asks. I shrug. "_Touché_," I reply and sit down.

He walks in front of me, still gazing at the moon. His hands are tensed at his side, his backside shadowed. I guess the assertion I made yesterday was right. He is quite like a Moonshield. Ulquiorra is such a quiet, lonely creature that hides behind his shadow. "It's quite beautiful, you know," I say finally. He turns his head slightly, his right eye looking down at me. "What's that?" he asks quietly.

"The moon," I say. "It is actually quite beautiful. Not quite like the moon on Earth, but still more wondrous and mysterious. Don't you think?" I smile at him. He seems so lost. It's kind of cute actually. God, I haven't felt like this about a guy since…. Well, Alex. "In what way is it beautiful?" he asks. "It is just the moon." What an interesting question. "It sort of stirs something inside of me," I say, trying to explain. "It touches my heart in away."

This time he turns to me fully. What I said must have triggered something in his mind. "Your heart," he says. "What is this heart you humans talk about?" I raise my eyebrow. "What do you mean what is a heart?" I ask. "A heart is a place deep inside of you that holds everything you hold dear. It is endless; it can be poisoned with hate or filled with unending love. A heart is basically everything about you, what makes one who they are. It can be described endlessly and yet you could never grasp the entire picture of it."

Ulquiorra looks at me. "So how can something materials, like the moon or a person, touch your heart?" he asks. "If something like that can touch your heart, then it must be a breakable thing, something that can be cut in two with a sword." I smile. He is struggling to understand, I can see it in his eyes. "It is a breakable thing, yes," I say. "But it can reconstruct itself, make itself whole again. It is the one thing that can never be taken from you, but it is something that you can give to someone." I've confused him again. He walks towards me as I stand up. Suddenly, he places his pale hands under my chin, lifting my face so our eyes gaze into each other. "Tell me," he whispers. "Where is this heart? If I put a hole in your chest, would it be there, beating away until your blood ran out? Or if I split open your skull, and reached within you, would I see it?" He takes his hand away from my chin and stands back a bit. "I am of the opinion," he continues, "that if I don't see something, it cannot possibly exist."

Suddenly, I burst out laughing. I can't help it; what he just said was too hilarious. I open my eyes and see Ulquiorra staring at me, his eyes filled with confusion. I guess my outburst weirded him out a little bit. "I-I'm sorry, Ulquiorra," I say between breaths. "It's just what you said, about if you don't see it, it isn't there, is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!" He tilts his head slightly. "How so?" he asks.

I think for a second, then say, "Ulquiorra, is the sun real?" He seems a little confused by the question. "Yes, of course," he says. I nod. "How can that be?" I say. "For all I see is the moon. I see no sun anywhere." He looks at me. "It will rise in the morning, for I have seen it," he replies. "But I don't see it," I say. "So it must not exist. Am I right, Ulquiorra?" Ulquiorra gives me a side look. "I see," he says. "This little analogy of yours is quite interesting. But it does not eradicate the fact that I cannot see the heart."

Well, I guess I have to do better than that. "Okay," I say. "Well, let's say this. What is your name?" Now I think I have caused him to finally show a facial expression. It is very faint, but his eyes have twitched and his brow has furrowed slightly. "You know what my name is," he says. I smirk. "Do I?" I say. "I don't see it. I don't feel it, nor do I hear it. It must not exist, or you don't have one." He looks at me quizzically. "I am Ulquiorra Cifer," he states.

"Prove it," I say.

He is silent for a long time, looking at nothing. He loosens his fists and then closes his eyes. I think he has given in. "I see your point," he says. He looks up at me again, his green eyes empty. "What is the purpose of this heart, then?" he asks. "It seems worthless, almost." I shake my head. My, isn't he curious? I sigh. "The heart makes us who we are," I say. "It helps us adapt to change, to hold those whom we hold dear closer to us. It is like. . . . like a box tied with a string. To open it, you must tug at the string and it shall open to you."

Ulquiorra looks frozen. "A heart," he whispers, "is a complex thing. I wonder what it is like to have one." I smile. "Let me tell you, Ulquiorra," I say, laughing a little. "Sometimes it is very strenuous. But I find that it is better to have one then not to have one at all." I look at him. "And what do you mean you wonder what it's like?" He looks up. "We Arrancars do not have one," he says. I tilt my head. "Really," I say. "Then how is it you know who you are?" "Excuse me?" he says. "Yes, if you didn't have a heart, how would you know who you are, truly?" I say. "Yes, you know who you are in your brain. It tells you who you are and what you do. But it is your heart that defines you, that makes you you. You are an Espada, and in your heart you know so. You are not blindly under the understanding you are an Espada. You must be able to acknowledge it."

I stand here, my heart suddenly beating wildly. God, it takes a lot to describe something as simple as the heart! But I can see that Ulquiorra might understand now. He is suddenly closer to me, his body and soul closer to me than it was a few minutes ago. His eyes are staring into mine intensely. "So you're saying," he says quietly, "that I have a heart? Then prove it to me." Prove it to him, he says. I smile and nod. "Alright then," I say. Then I take him by the cheek gently and kiss him on his black lips, my lips parting over his closed ones.

He tenses under my touch as I stay her for a few minutes, then I back away. "There you have it," I say.

I turn away and keep walking, not wanting to see the look on his face.

My body is trembling.

I have never felt like this. I have never been that close to anyone before. The feelings inside of me are twisted, unrecognizable. What has she done to me? She is walking away. I am frozen, unable to move. I have never felt like this. I watch her go. I want to tell her to come back, to demand that she explain herself. But I can't.

I can't explain what this is. It is just too powerful. Is this what she meant? Is this what the heart is? It is so intense it's actually quite painful. And yet, I felt something. I felt almost alive.

For the first time, I felt my heart beat beneath the hole in my throat.


	9. Chapter 8: Amelia

"Wake up, _Bebe!" _

I open my eyes and see Dordoni standing over me, a huge smile on his bearded face. He seems so jovial I have to laugh. "Morning, Dordoni," I say, stretching. "Did you sleep well?" he asks me. "Yes, thank you," I say. "Where are the others?" Dordoni points to the table in the corner of the room. "We are waiting for you to get up so we can eat breakfast," he says gallantly. Cirucci and Gantenbainne are at the table, looking at me expectantly. I smile and stretch. "Aw, you guys didn't have to wait for me," I say. "It's really sweet though." This was nice. I actually had people to wake up to.

"Well, Amelia," says Cirucci. "We don't eat, so it would be pointless to eat without you." I giggle a little. Dang, I sound like Ash for a second! "Well, thank you guys," I say. "Did you guys make it?" Cirucci then purses her lips. "No, _Bebe_," says Dordoni. "It was Ulquiorra who brought it for you. He said you would be hungry when you wake up. Turns out he was right." I freeze mid-bite. Ulquiorra Cifer is still bringing me breakfast. I look at Dordoni. "Really?" I say, trying to hide my shock. I think back to the kiss I gave him, the feeling it had sent through me when I did. It made the blood creep up to my cheeks and I'm sure I'm blushing.

Before I can say a word, there's a knock at the door. Dordoni goes over and opens it. Next thing I know, Granz is standing there, a huge smile on his face. "Good morning, Amelia!" he says in his oily voice. He looks genuinely happy to see me, his amber eyes dancing behind his glasses. I can't help but smile back at him. "Morning, Granz," I say. "What brings you here this fine morning? Would you like some breakfast?" He seems surprised by my asking him to eat with me. "Oh, well," he says, giving me a sly side-glance. I roll my eyes. "Sit down, Granz," I say playfully, pulling out a chair. Granz looks beyond delighted. I think he wants to do this only to study me, but what the hell? He's not entirely bad. Cirucci gives me a raised eyebrow and Dordoni sits next to her, giving me a confused look. I wink at them. I wish they would stop being so defensive around the Espada. This might be a problem if they don't.

Granz smiles at all of them. "Hello, everyone," he says, resting his head on his hand. "It's good to see that you are all in _such_ a good mood this morning!" Cirucci glares at him. Gantenbainne sits back and cracks his knuckles, looking at Granz past his fists. Dordoni just goes, "Humph." Great reception. I smile to myself, finishing off my food. "So it seems that you have put Ulquiorra in an odd state," says Granz suddenly. I look up at Granz, my heart in my throat. "What do you mean?" I ask. Granz gives me a knowing look and I know he's onto me. "He seems to be paying attention to nothing," says Granz. "He has actually walked into a wall by accident. And let me tell you, Espada don't do that. Ever. Lord Aizen is a bit concerned."

I roll my eyes again. "Of course he's concerned," I say. "He'd be concerned if you even sneeze the wrong way." I place my plate back on the tray and sit back, rubbing my face. I forgot about the mask being there and accidentally cut my hand on one of the protruding teeth. Damn Arrancar mask. "Oh well," I say. "So, I hear you want to finish that fight." Granz smiles. "Later," he says. "For now, I have something better in mind." Uh oh. What now? "And that would be what, Granz?" I ask, curious. He smiles deviously. It seems to put Dordoni on edge.

"Recently," he begins, "I created this device that allows me to tap into the human psyche. That means I can tap into human dreams, thoughts, emotions, anything! What I propose is that I take a peek into your dreams and maybe a little bit more. How does that sound?"

I tilt my head slightly. "Hmmm," I say. It sounds crazy, almost dangerous. But I can understand his desire. "Okay," I say. Dordoni seems to have a mini seizure. "No!" he shouts. "You shouldn't do this, Amelia! This bastard is a tricky one!" I smile at him. "It's okay, Dordoni," I tell him. "I think that I can handle this." He growls and glares at Granz. Granz simply smiles at him and walks towards the door. "Are you coming, my dear?" he asks. I nod and follow. "I'll be back soon. It'll be fine." I close the door behind me and follow Granz to his lab, eager to find out what I can about this "machine".

And a part of me is a little worried.

I can't get rid of this feeling.

I feel like a dead man, wandering a desert aimlessly. The kiss killed me. The kiss changed me. I can't function properly anymore. Everything is a blur now. I bump into people, not knowing who it is or where I am. I want to see her again, demand that she explain this feeling. This terrible, amazing feeling. I find myself at her door again. Might as well do it now.

The Privaron Espada answers, Dordoni. He glares at me again, his malice clear. "Where is Draco?" I ask. He narrows his eyes. "My master's name is Amelia," he says. "She is with the 8th Espada, Granz. They are performing an experiment or some damn thing." He closes the door in my face and I find myself staring at it for a while. When I had come in earlier, I had seen her sleeping face. It looked peaceful, almost innocent. I curse myself for thinking like this! What is wrong with me?

A moment later, I walk to Szayelaporro's lab, hoping to find her there.

"Ah, Ulquiorra!" he calls to me as I enter. I hate the sound of his voice, giving me a splitting pain in my head. "Good to see you!" I turn to him and stop. There, on a metal table, lies Draco, her eyes closed and her hands limp. She is attached to a machine that hums slightly. "What are you doing to her?" I ask, glaring at him. What is he trying to do, kill her? If that's the case, I will slit the bastard's throat. He just smiles. "Don't worry, Ulquiorra," he says. "I have her permission to be doing this. All I'm doing is analyzing her dreams. They are uploading right now!"

"You're looking in her dreams?" I ask. "That's what the machine is doing?" I am a little bit intrigued, but I don't show it. Szayelaporro can be a pain when you show interest in his doings. "Yes, indeed," he says. "Would you like to take a look with me? I'm sure you'd be very interested in see what she thinks." He gives me a knowing smile, a smile I detest. I glare at him. "Why would I want to?" I ask. He rolls his eyes dramatically. "It's no secret you have some sort of attachment to the girl, Ulquiorra," he says, twirling a strand of pink hair. "I am just offering you a chance to see her in a different place is all. Aren't you even a little bit curious?"

I don't answer that. Of course I'm not. I'm not! The girl has been nothing but trouble. And yet, Draco has been on my mind forever. Why not take a look? "Fine," I say. "I will go with you. But you cannot tell Draco I did this." Szayelaporro gives me an odd look. "Why do you call her Draco?" he asks. I raise an eyebrow. "Because Lord Aizen named her as such," I reply. "What a futile question." He shakes his head. "You and I both know that is not her name. Call her Amelia when he isn't around, for Pete's sake! I can't even fathom calling her Draco. Too different for her." I am about to protest when he says, "Alright! It's time! Place your hand here and we will go into her mind."

He places his hand on top of the machine and I hesitate. "Come," he says, beckoning me with his hand. "You won't regret this." I reach out and put my hand on the machine and everything bursts into flames.

All around me is flames so bright I cannot even see. I close my eyes, surprised by the sheer brightness. This is in her head? I feel dizzy, almost intoxicated. She is even powerful inside her own head! The brightness fades and I open my eyes.

It's raining. The raindrops hit my skin like bullets and the wind buffets against me. People are pushing past me and looking down on the road, ignoring us. "Where are we?" I ask Szayelaporro. The pink haired bastard is smiling. "We're in her mind!" he says. "It seems to be memories of hers that she can't let go of! Fascinating!" He wanders about aimlessly and I follow. What is the point of remembering this? I don't even see Amelia. Draco, I mean. Her name is Draco. My head hurts. I walk past the humans, glaring at anyone who runs into me. Why don't they look at me? "Why can't they see us?" I ask. He turns around and says, "We are like mirages in her head. We can't be seen." He smiles at me. "If you want to be seen, put this on." He pulls out a black cloak and tosses it to me then wanders off.

I stare at the material, and then don it, wondering what might happen. When I do, I feel a bump on my calf and turn around, seeing a little girl on the ground. She has long black hair that is sticking to her back and her face, a skirt that is plastered to her legs, and her green eyes stare up at me. I feel a little irritated, but this girl's face is soft, kind. I don't feel the words coming, but instead I ask, "Are you alright?" I reach down to help her up.

She seems so flustered by the question. "Um, yeah! I'm, ah, I-I'm sorry about that, mister," she says, and then tenses as I lift her up and to her feet. She looks frightened. And familiar too. I ask her, "What is your name?" She twiddles a little with her hands and says, "I . . . I am Amelia Truite. A-and you? Who are you, sir?"

I freeze. This is Amelia? She is so … different. So scared, so frightened. She is nothing like the girl I know. The girl I see before me is beautiful, just like her, but not yet filled with courage and mockery. She is lonely. She's like me. I want say something to her; see if she recognizes me at all. I remember that she is looking for her uncle. I remember hearing her call out for him. "My name is of no consequence to you, Amelia," I say. "All I want to do is take you back to your uncle. For a price." I can't believe I said that. I didn't mean to.

She looks at me with wide eyes. "What sort of price, sir?" she asks me. And something in me breaks. The look in her eyes is just too vulnerable, too human. It touches something inside of me. Something I never knew I had. I kneel down before her and take her hands in mine; her wet, soft, small hands curled in my palms. I look into her green eyes and say what I know I should not ask, "Amelia, if I find your uncle, your family, everyone that you hold dear, will you be mine, forever?" The words come out quietly and I'm surprised she can even understand. She gazes at me for what feels like an eternity, her green eyes so intense. I want her to say yes, but I also wish that I would be taken out of this dream and just forget it ever happened.

But I can't and it doesn't.

"I will," she says at last. "I promise." She smiles at me, her wet face almost bright. I say nothing, for I fear what might come out of my mouth. I know where her uncle is. I knew where he was from the very start. He was one of the people who rudely ran into me, but he was one with a kind face. I know where he is. I feel her looking at me, her eyes boring into my soul. Then I hear a voice on the wind. "Amelia, where are you?" I know it's him. She beams again and turns to me. "You found him!" she exclaims happily. "Thank you, sir!" I nod slightly, and then say, "Do not forget your promise, Amelia Truite. I will see you again." Without another thought, I take her by the chin, lean down, and kiss her cheek. I kiss gently, like she did when she kissed me that night. I feel something in my chest burn like fire. I feel amazing. "You shall know me soon," I say to her, looking into her eyes. "Now go."

Before she can say anything, her uncle picks her up and hugs her tightly. She laughs and hugs him back. I take off the cloak and watch the scene, taking in the scene. I have never seen anything like this. Is this what a heart is? Being with the one we love, seeing them so vulnerable and helping them to their feet? She turns and points in my direction, and then her smile falters. She can't see me anymore. I almost want to put it back on and see her smile again. But her uncle takes her away. I watch her turn away, forgetting all about me.

My heartstrings are coming undone.


	10. Chapter 9: In The Dark

I feel so alone here in the dark.

There's only artificial light here, so my flaws hide well here. I'm so deathly afraid of silence and it is killing me. Fill this place with idle words; please fill this place with idle words that only I know. When I was younger, I wrote some songs in the dark to fight away the voices in my head, the voices I never knew until now. Now I am mute besides myself; all of them are gone. The silence overtakes me, the idle words forsake me, and I am left to face me. I'm held accountable for every idle word.

Curse the idle words.

They whirl around in my head like flies, attacking me in the dark. The dark finds me here, shackling me to the floor, putting a mask on my face. I am so alone here in the dark. I can't see; can't breathe either. From the darkness came the light, and there the light shall return. I tell myself this, hoping that maybe I can see again, that the fear, this primal fear, will disappear.

_Amelia, wake up._

The voices call me again. _Go away! _I shout. _Leave me alone! _The silence is overpowering.

_Amelia, wake up!_

What is this? I recognize the voice; a soft voice, but with an edge. An icy edge that pierces my soul. _Go away, _I plead. _Leave me here, in the darkness. I can survive here. _

I am suddenly jerked away; my eyes snapping open as I feel a pair of hands grip me. I'm in Szayelaporro's lab, the weird lights and shit pouring into my eyes. "Damn," I mumble, shielding my eyes from the harsh lights. Moving my hands away, I see Granz and Ulquiorra, both staring at me with wide eyes. Um, okay? "Hey guys," I mutter. "What's up?" Hold on, why is Ulquiorra here? I look at his with a raised eyebrow. "Why are you here?" I say, stretching. He says nothing, but looks away. He's hiding something from me. Granz shifts his gaze at Ulquiorra as well.

"So," I say, trying to break the awkward silence. "How did the experiment go?" Granz instantly lit up. "Ah, went splendidly! I found so many things there that never seemed possible to me. Human brains and the works within are truly amazing." I smile. He's excited again. "I'm glad," I say. Granz does another twirl and clasps his hands in front of him dramatically. "May I do this again?" he begs, his amber eyes pleading. I shake my head, giggling a little. "No more experiments for me today, Granz," I say, stretching. "I gotta go see what my Fraccion is up to." Mostly, I just want to avoid more experimenting. I stand up and walk out, waving as I leave.

"Amelia."

I turn, gazing into Ulquiorra's green eyes. He seems troubled, as if he saw something that haunted him. "Yes, Ulquiorra?" I say. I tilt my head, listening. He stands before me, his gait almost tired. It's quite disconcerting to me. "Do you remember anything?" he says at last. Now I'm confused. "What do you mean?" I ask. "What happened?" But he walks away, his shoulders suddenly slumping a little. This is unusual for Ulquiorra. I'm about to call after him when, suddenly, a sword rips past my head, just barely missing my ear. It buries itself into the wall next to me and I stare at it, amazed. It looks like a rapier, but unusual, with a chakram embedded into the blade just above the hilt, and spikes on the hilt rim. The guard seems to be made of a kind of scaled ribbing. Who the hell is trying to kill me?

"Draco Extranjero!"

I look away from the blade and see a slim, male Arrancar with dirty blonde hair. He has a turquoise marking on his right cheek and wears an eye patch over his right eye. He is wearing a different style jacket from most Arrancar in that it resembles a lab coat, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and what appears to be medals sewn across his chest. He also wears black gloves and boots. The remains of his Hollow mask appear to be a thin upper jaw which forms a circlet around his forehead. He definitely isn't an Espada, that's for sure. But I recognize him from somewhere. "And who are you, Arrancar?" I ask, glaring at him and inching away from the sword. I happen to hate sharp things pointing at my face. Makes me cranky…

"My name is Tesra Lindocruz," he bellows at me, his single blue eye glaring at me with pure rage. "And I am here to avenge my master, Nnoitra Gilga, Espada number 5." Oh, crap. Now Nnoitra's Fraccion is trying to kill me. This is just what I needed. My Fraccion is going to kill me for not bringing them along!

"Did Nnoitra send you to kill me?" I ask, trying to assess the situation. I hope not. Tesra hisses at me, "And what is that to you?" I smirk a little. "It means a lot, actually," I say. "If he sent you here, that means the old bastard is up and kicking and should duel me himself instead of sending his Fraccion. But if he didn't, that means he must be very weak and that you are a caring Fraccion, which is quite rare here in Las Noches, wouldn't you agree?" The Arrancar sputters, indicating that the answer is the latter. "If he were well enough to handle matters," shouts Tesra, "then he would approve of my coming here! Now draw your zampakuto if you wish to live, Sextus Espada!" Well, isn't he a nice Fraccion? I gotta say, I admire this kid. Why am I even saying that? I'm a kid too, damn it!

I draw my sword, ready. The poor guy, I really don't want to do this to him. He actually seems like a nice guy. A question pops into my head, and I ask, "How is Nnoitra? How is he faring?" Tesra cringes, pulling his zampakuto out of the wall. "What is it to you?" He raises his sword and lowers his head, his gaze angular. He's about to charge me. I continue, "At this point, his wounds should be in flamed, causing them to pucker and swell to immense proportions. He'll have high fevers and shakes. He will turn a shade of jade green and these side effects will last for at least two more weeks before going down dramatically. I would know, I've seen the effects." Tesra seems to pause for a second, then charges at me, his sword pointed at my chest.

I easily move out of the way, sighing a little as I do. "Tesra," I say in a now-chiding voice. "I'm actually trying to help you here. I can heal Nnoitra." He stops for a moment. "What?" he asks, his blue eyes round in shock. Good, now I can talk some sense into him. "You can heal my master?" he asks again, inching closer like a child hearing the best news of his life. He is actually quite cute. I think Ash might have liked him if she had come too. Can't think about that now.

"Yes, Tesra, I can heal him," I say, lowering my sword. "If you take me to him now, I can heal him." I swear, he looks like he believes me. Let's hope he does. Then, he shakes his head and growls, "You're lying! No Espada helps each other! Why would you even care what happens to him? YOU'RE THE ONE WHO WOUNDED HIM!" The blade swings down again, and this time I do not move. I smile, standing there, looking him in the eye. Closer, closer, closer he comes and I wait. Time seems to slow, and that's good. I know what I'm doing. I reach out to grab the sword when there is a flash of black and white. My eyes widen and my mouth opens. What the hell?

I blink and there, standing between me and Tesra with the blade caught in his hand, is Ulquiorra. Wow, why is he doing this? "U-Ulquiorra?" I say my voice slightly high-pitched. He turns to me, his right green eye staring at me. "What do you think you're doing?" he asks me, "Why are you standing there and letting him attack you? Are you truly an idiot?" I blink, my mind going blank except for one thought going through my head: Ulquiorra Cifer, Espada number 4, just tried to save my life. I only have one word for that: why?

Before I can say more, he turns to Tesra. "You dare lay your blade against an Espada, Fraccion?" he asks. "You, a lower rank? You should be grateful she didn't cut you in half the moment you attacked her." Tesra scowls, but only half-heartedly. In his eye, I can see he is sad, feeling that he has failed Nnoitra. Ulquiorra lets go of the blade and pulls out his own. "I shall do you a favor and end your miserable existence right now so that Lord Aizen does not treat you more harshly." He raises his blade and Tesra's eye widens even more. "N-no!" he begs, his powerful voice now quiet and fearful. The blade is coming, the blade glinting in the moonlight.

"Stop, Ulquiorra."

The blade stops, level with Ulquiorra's line of sight. He snaps his head in my direction and stares at me, as does Tesra. They are both terribly confused. I sigh. "Do not kill him, Ulquiorra," I say. "He was only doing this in order to honor his master." Ulquiorra lowers his sword and turns fully towards me, completely concealing Tesra's form. "Is that a reasonable excuse to come and kill you?" he asks me quietly. "Would you have preferred I let him kill you?" I laugh a little. "You said yourself that he couldn't have possibly killed me. Besides, he wasn't about to cut me. I was going to catch the blade myself, immobilize him. I am powerful enough to do that, as you well know." I plant a hand on my hip. Ulquiorra does nothing but stare at me. I don't know what it is, but there is a movement of something in his green eyes. Something human; an emotional response.

"Besides," I continue, looking now at Tesra, "I was offering to help the Fraccion heal his master." Tesra looks up, his eye filled with hope. Finally, he believes me. "You meant that?" he asks quietly, lifting his head even more. I nod. "Yes, I did," I say. "And I still do." Ulquiorra's eyes widen and his gait changes. "Are you out of your mind, Amelia?" he asks me. "You want to heal an opponent? What if he wishes to kill you? What will you do then?" My name; he said my real name. I smile and giggle a little. Now he looks frustrated. Damn, he's just showing his emotions left and right today! "What is so amusing?" he asks. I look at him, "You said my real name, Amelia. Thank you for that." His face collapses back into its normal, unemotional self. "It was a mistake," he says monotonously. "It will not happen again, Draco." Oh, well.

I turn back to Tesra. "Will you take me to Nnoitra?" I ask him. He nods emphatically. "Right this way, Lady Draco," he says, smiling a little as he flashes away. Ulquiorra and I follow him, flashing right behind him.

I smile a little to myself, something in my heart growing.

In no time at all, we arrive at Nnoitra's residence.

All is quiet down this part of the hall. That is normal for Las Noches, but over here, it is different. Usually, there is the sound of footsteps in the distance or the silent scream of watching eyes in the walls, floors, and ceiling. But here, it is deathly silent. The shadows have deepened and the light is dimmer. This place feels cursed, haunted. That is merely human nonsense, but for some reason, a tingle goes down my spine. Draco stands at the door, seeming to listen. Tesra immediately tenses up, his eye wide. "We're here," he says quietly, reaching out to open the door. Draco put out her hand to stop his from going any further. "How long has this . . . . aura been enclosed about this place, Tesra?" she asks silently. The Fraccion looks at her. "For at least two days," he says. "And my master has been thrashing back and forth in his bed, muttering strange words. It's like he's . . . . possessed! Is that how you humans would describe it when something takes over another being, Lady Draco?"

Draco smiles a little, a calm soothing smile. It does something in this space that I can barely describe. How does she do that? "That is the correct term, Tesra," she answers. "And that is a rarer side effect for those suffering from the poison of _Yesil Alevler_. He is a very powerful being, which might explain why this is occurring with your master. Shall we go in?" Tesra nods and opens the door, and we are greeted by pure darkness.

It is so thick, this darkness, that I wouldn't be surprised if I could reach out and grab it with my bare hands. I am about to walk in when I see Draco, her green eyes suddenly wide. What is this? Is she afraid? "L-lady Draco, are you alright?" asks Tesra. She looks at him, then at me, her eyes displaying a surging current of fear and of recognition. She remembers something, something terrible. "Draco," I say, "what is it?" She starts to shake a little. "F-f-from the darkness c-came the light," she stammers breathily, "and there the light shall r-r-return." The words are like a curse, making the hall darker and darker still. She is frozen to the spot. Amelia Truite, Espada number Six, the Legacy of Fire, is terrified of darkness. This is the most human thing I have ever seen in her.

Without thinking, I reach out my hand to her. "Come with me, Draco," I say to her. "We must go in." She looks directly into my eyes, a surge of fear going through her. "N-no!" she says. "I can't go in there! T-they'll find me!" I am completely confused. Who is she talking about? "There is no one in there but Nnoitra and Tesra," I say gently, hoping she will calm down. Instead, she snaps up and her eyes grow dim. "_The Darkness will rise and swallow the Flame, the Eternal Flame. She shall die by its hands and the eternal Darkness shall rule again. Thus begins the cycle of rebirth of life, death, life, and death. There is no more, there is no less. There is only the Darknessssssssssssss,_" she says. It isn't her; it isn't Amelia. There is something else there, within her, speaking. Her eyes relight and she appears her fearful self once more. She grips her arms tightly.

Then I place my hand on her arms, her touch sending chills through me. She looks at me, her eyes filled with wonder as well as fear. "The Darkness will not devour you, Amelia," I whisper. "You are Fire, and the Darkness will shrink from you. Take my hand, Amelia." I realize I used her real name, her human name. But at this moment, it seems most appropriate. She loosens her grip and lets her hands fall. Slowly, she takes my hand and clasps it tentatively, gently. It is the same grip she had when she held my hand in her dream, when I took her to find her uncle. Apparently, that small child still resides within her, hiding in the darkest corners of her being.

"Ulquiorra," she whispers, "thank you."

The words are simple; their meaning as complicated as the Universe itself. Her eyes are now calm, her breathing normal. The green stripes on her pale face dim a little, and she seems more human than Espada. Normal, I recoil at humanity, the sheer nonsense and trash it is. But I can't. In fact, it seems so appealing. "Shall we?" I ask her, leaning towards the door. She looks from me, to the dark room, then to me again. "Yes," she replies, her voice clear and firm, as it normally is. I nod and we enter the room, hand in hand.

I feel so alone here in the dark.

Actually, no I don't. My hand is enclosed in another's. There is someone here, guiding me. Ulquiorra, thank you. I smile to myself, the darkness thick. Suddenly, a light turns on, but it is so dim, so small, I can barely see. Next to it is Tesra's illuminated face, looking at a corner of the room. There, I see a bed and a pair of feet. Nnoitra lies there. "Thank you, Tesra," I say. "Can you bring the light closer to him, please?" He nods and does so. I let go of Ulquiorra's hand reluctantly. I look into his eyes briefly and he stares back like he usually does, blank and empty. Yet, they are quite comforting. I nod to him, and then turn to Nnoitra.

Just as I had suspected, his entire right side is inflamed and red, the puckering wound swelling greatly. His head turns back and forth, his head moist with perspiration. "Nrm…. nagh!" he murmurs, his voice going from low to high as he thrashes around. "Yep, this is bad," I muse. I kneel down next to him and begin the healing process.

"_Jä derse na ves, Jä yan mihlg senty, Jä hel ofönö._"

I breathe the chant into the air, repeating the words over and over. The Lakie language is soothing, almost sing-song like. The words go like this in English, "Devil within me, Devil above my soul, Devil shall pass through." It sounds sort of Satanistic, but not too long ago, the Lakie believed that if one was sick or wounded, they were possessed with an evil spirit. _Jä _means Devil in Lakie, but the literal translation is "one who contorts or writhes". The Lakie would most definitely have called this a possession of the Devil. From my outstretched hands appears a field of green light, lighter in color than _Yesil Alevler_. It spreads over his wound, illuminating the redness. I continue the chant, waiting patiently for the wound to show signs of repair.

At last, it begins to restore itself, the poison drying out of him and the wound growing into a limb. It grows faster and faster as my words begin to speed up. The arm grows longer and longer until the palm of the hand begins to form, then the thumb, then finally the fingers. His arm is now fully restored and the muttering ceases, his contorted face now one of peace and rest. I sigh, happy that it's all over. Suddenly, the darkness seems to lift and the lamp in Tesra's hand seems to fill the room with glorious light. I feel like I can breathe normally again. "Y-you did it!" cries Tesra. I turn to him and see the look of complete joy on his face. He's actually smiling too! He's too cute. "Yes, he should be fine now," I say, standing up. He bows to me, the lamp in his hand outstretched. "Thank you, Lady Draco," he says. "I don't know what to do to repay you for this." I smile. "You can call me Amelia instead of Draco," I say. "That will be payment enough." Tesra smiles. "Yes, Lady Amelia," he says, bowing again. I almost ask him not to call me Lady, but what would be the use?

Ulquiorra and I leave the room and close the door behind us. All is normal again out here or at least normal for Las Noches. We begin to walk away when Ulquiorra asks suddenly, "Why did you heal him, Draco?" I look at him, staring into his eyes. So beautiful, the color of his eyes. My heart is literally pounding in my chest, like the night I kissed him. I smile up at him. "It's quite simple, Ulquiorra," I say. "Everyone expects the winner to care nothing for their opponents when they have defeated them in battle. At least, that is what the Lakie believe nowadays. But I think that if one wins, they must not leave their enemy in the dust to rot and die like a useless dog. A true winner is the one who helps the defeated onto their feet, giving them a second chance, even if that person doesn't deserve it in the least." Ulquiorra's brow rises in confusion. "I do not understand," he says.

I sigh. Sometimes I forget he isn't human. "What I'm saying, Ulquiorra," I continue, "is that, sometimes, a little kindness goes a long way in the Universe. It may seem like a weakness, but is truly one of the strongest, most honorable things any being can do. Even for an Espada." Before he can ask another question, I flash away, rushing back to see if my Fraccion is being well-behaved in my absence.

But as I go, I feel a lump in my throat.


	11. Chapter 10: A Dream and Reality in One

I still do not understand this human girl, no matter how hard I try.

She is so mysterious, so different from any being I have ever encountered. She is a human, but her humanity makes her stronger. She is a woman, but she is as strong as a man. She is from a different part of the Universe, and yet she is like us in many ways. She is a strong and powerful being, and yet she takes pity on the weak and condemned. What is she? She tells me she is a human, a Legacy, an outcast among the stars, she has become an Espada, but there is nothing any of those names or titles that can even come close to describe what she is. Amelia Truite is definitely a conundrum.

I lie on my mattress, staring at the dark ceiling. I try to sleep, to build up my rest, but it never comes. The moonlight streams in, its silver rays dancing across the floor. A Moonshield, she had said that night. I am a Moonshield. Is that really true? I have always wandered through this world alone my entire existence, different and distant. There was nothing like me in this desolate place; everything was against me, my entire being.

I was White, while they were all Black.

_I walk alone through this wasteland, this place made of sand. White as bone, that I am, the remnant of something I cannot remember. I must remember; I need to remember. There is nothing but a gaping hole where the memory is, wide and abysmal. I walk alone. I walk in silence. I walk in emptiness. I walk in yearning._

_ I walk alone because of the Heart._

_ A Heart, what is it? A muscle, a delicate chunk of tissue that can be torn into shreds. I have no heart. I am a Hollow, a soul with a hole in my chest. I am alone. I walk alone. I am Hollow in this desolate wasteland. Their eyes follow me, hungry, hungering, starved for my soul. They follow me, their eyes on me. I no longer walk alone. They watch they feast they cling they starve they lust, grasping the sand in desperation. "_Come to us!_" they plead. "_Let us quench our hunger, fill the hole!_ They are fools. I hear their footsteps, their growls and hisses. I am White, they are Black. I am one, they are many. I am alone, I walk alone._

_ They attack me, their talons raised and their eyes wide. I turn my eyes to them, watching their descent, their attack. But they do not go far. I tear them apart, bit by bit, limb by limb, seam by daunting seam until I am nothing but eyes. They fade to dust, to sand like that beneath my feet, once again a part of the darkness. Once again, I am alone. I walk alone._

_ I must fill the void._

_ I see something in the distance, something that is different. I walk on, faster now with a purpose in my step. What could it be, standing in the moonlight? Then I see it, the wispy white branches, the thin white trunk, the crooked, bent body of a white tree. Finally, I see it. I see the thing that can fill the void. I see something that is not Black, but White. I go towards it, with every intention of seeing it. I am not alone. I no longer walk alone._

_ Suddenly, something moves from within its branches._

_ A tall, translucent creature moves from within the tree's embrace, moving towards me slowly and listlessly. It takes shape, becoming a ghostly White like me. I cannot help but watch as the creature, the essence of the tree, floats towards me. Then, suddenly, I see the eyes, green eyes that are so familiar, midnight hair that flows to the waist, fair skin that seems smoothe to the touch, white robe that brushes the ground lightly, white hood that is luminous in the moonlight, and a strange curving smile upon her face. Who is this girl walking towards me, this girl whom I know so well. I try to speak, but no words come. I envy for words, I glutton for words, I covet for words, I am prideful for words, I sloth for words, I rage for words; because of words, I lust for everything about the girl._

_ "Ulquiorra," she calls, her translucent hand outstretched._

_ I walk towards her, faster now, but I never get any closer. The distance between us is tantalizing, sickening. I almost reach her, but we are too far apart. She does nothing to help me; she just smiles that beautiful, mysterious smile. "Amelia," I say, at last, my voice scratchy and worn. I said her name at last, my heart, my human heart found in the recesses of my being. She looks at me and smiles wider, then steps forward, taking my hand in hers. "Ulquiorra, I am yours forever," she says to me. "I remember the promise. Don't be afraid of me." Afraid of her? When have I ever been afraid? I am Ulquiorra Cifer, Espada number 4; I am never afraid, but I am alone. I am afraid of being alone. I definitely am afraid of her leaving me._

_ Suddenly, her other hand reaches out and touches my mask. I want to tell her to stop, to leave it be, but before I can, it cracks and the top right half falls off, falling to my feet. With a part of my face exposed, she smiles and kisses my forehead. I close my eyes, almost trembling under the touch. I feel so different, like the hole in my chest is closing. I reach to feel it, and it is still there. It must be the Void within, the one that eats at the edges of my Hollow soul. I look up, but she is now gone, the wind my only companion. The tree is gone, the tiny tree in the moonlight, and yet I am not alone. My mask is broken and my heart is beating, my mask is fallen and my heart is found. Who is this girl I see? Who is this girl who touched me?_

_ I can't let her go._

I open my eyes and see the ceiling again, my hands trembling. Was I just dreaming, or was that a memory? The moonlight streams into the room, into the darkness as I sit up and rub my forehead. These human emotions are running through me like wildfire. I am an Espada; I should not feel like this. And yet, Amelia Truite was there. She was the Tree from all those years ago. She held my hand, kissed my face. She is White like me. Amelia Truite is just like me, no matter how much I wish I could try and deny it. She stirs the hidden heart within me.

And that heart wants every part of her.

I look up at the moon and stare into its endless, listless, ancient eyes that see nothing. I don't know what to do. I actually feel helpless. And here I thought that only the weak feel helpless; maybe I am weak.

Maybe I am finally becoming Human.

Dordoni is mad at me again.

After leaving without him yesterday, he has become very controlling. He won't even let me eat anything without tasting it first, or let anyone in without questioning them thoroughly. Cirucci is a little mad at me too, but Gantenbainne is the only one who isn't. "Oh come on, guys," he has said over and over to the others. "She is our master; she can take care of herself, ya know." Of course, they don't listen. I still love them to death, though.

Right now, though, it's tough. There's a knock at the door and I'm trying to answer it myself. "Dordoni, someone is knocking at _my _door," I argue, glaring at him. He folds his arms and stares back at me, his stubborn gaze quite ruthless. "_Bebe_, we've been over this," he says. "You have lost my trust and now I will take control!" He blocks the door with his body. I scowl and grunt, then shake my head. "Will _you_ answer the door, then?" I ask. He seems to soften at that, and turns to open the door. I sigh as he does, hoping this will pass soon.

The door opens and there, standing in my door way, is Nnoitra and Tesra. I stand here, dumbfounded. I never realized how tall he was, how imposing he really is. We were outside of Las Noches when we fought and I hadn't paid that much attention to the man who was dead-set on trying to kill me. "Draco," he says, his mouth going into toothy frown. "Good to see you." Well, this is unexpected. "Hello, Nnoitra," I reply. "What a pleasant surprise. Would you like to come in?" The looks on the faces of my Fraccion are nearly hilarious as I step aside to let the two men in. Cirucci hisses in my ear, "What the hell are you doing?" I turn to her and smile. "I'm making nice," I reply before going over to the table where Nnoitra sits. Tesra stands in the corner, fidgeting nervously. Our eyes make contact for a moment, and then he looks down. I wonder what's going on.

"You seem to be doing much better, Nnoitra," I say, trying to strike up conversation. Nnoitra looks up at me, his snake-like eyes searching for something. "Yes, I am," he says, drumming the tips of his fingers on the table top. "And I keep wondering how, after you told me that my side effects would last for weeks that they went away in less than seven days. Do you happen to have any explanation for that?" He stares at me with his one eye, watching me carefully. He certainly knows how to put a person on edge, doesn't he? I smile a little, leaning forward. "I don't think I have one," I say back. "Maybe you should ask your Fraccion, Tesra. He took care of you for that period of time." Nnoitra smiles deviously. "Oh, I have asked Tesra," he replies. "And he has told me quite the story of my recovery."

Tesra looks at me, his blue eye filled with worry. Is Nnoitra mad, or is just playing all of us? I guess we'll find out. I twirl a strand of my hair around my index finger, pretending not to care. "Really? What did he say happened?" I ask. Tesra looks like he is on the edge of insanity. Dordoni is angry and Cirucci is itching to play with her sword. This situation could not be worse. Nnoitra leaned forward, his mouth now in a smile. "Nothing much," he says. "Other than that an Espada came by and made me better. Now what do you think all that was about?"

I burst out laughing. I can't help it; something in me just needed to explode. I felt a stream of relief, humor, tension, and confusion flow out of me as I laugh. Through the tears in my eyes, I see the looks of horror and confusion on the faces of the others and I desperately try to stop. I calm down enough to breathe again and say slowly, "That is quite incredible, if you ask me. Do you know who might have done this?" Nnoitra stares at me for a while, his mouth twitching slightly and his eyes never leaving mine. Then he smiles again. "I guess I owe my life to that Espada, whomever they maybe," he says at last, leaning back in his chair. Tesra visibly relaxes and my Fraccion seem to settle down. I nod and laugh a little, glad the air is no longer on the verge of eruption, "I would guess so. You hungry?" Nnoitra seems a little shocked by the question. "What?" I forget how inhuman the Espada really are.

"Hello? Amelia, are you there?"

Oi, it's Granz at my door. I watch as Dordoni goes to open the door and lets in the flamingo-pink-haired Espada. His face is twisted in his easy smile and his hand on his hip and the other in the air as he comes in. Dordoni gives his a sharp look, but says nothing. "Ah, Amelia," he says in his oily voice, then he sees Nnoitra and stops dead in his tracks. "Wh-… wait, what the hell?" he sputters, looking from me to Nnoitra in amazement. Nnoitra laughs at him, his eyes closed and his mouth wide open as he does so. "Szayelaporro, you seem happy to see me," he says in between heaves of laughter. "Surprised I'm in one piece again?" I grin and look up at Granz, his amber eyes filled with amazement. "It's okay, Granz," I say. "He's been healed." If it were possible, I think Granz's eyes would be growing larger by now. "Healed?" he says. "But no one here has that capability! Unless….. oh my!" He looks at me with a look of complete understanding and awe, and then snaps back into his casual, sly manner. "No matter," he says, brushing off the situation. "Things are back to normal; we now have all Espada up and running again."

I smile. "Now, I guess I'm gonna have to make a lot of food for breakfast," I say. Granz smiles, "Breakfast? How nice." Oh boy! I turn to go to the kitchen and there, standing in front of me, is Ulquiorra, his face inches from mine. I fight back a scream and nearly fall backwards. Even as an Espada, I can have the freakin wits scared right out of me, damn it! "Wow, um, good morning, Ulquiorra," I say, righting myself. "You're just in time for breakfast! Wanna join?" His expression does not change in the slightest. "What are you talking about? Breakfast?" he asks. Oh my God! HUECO MUNDO IS CLOSER TO HELL THAN I THOUGHT! I laugh a little and can feel the eyes of everyone on my back. "It's a human thing, where when we wake up in the morning we eat something. Just stay and trust me, kay?" I walk past him and go into the kitchen, my palms sweating. Damn.

As I pull out the frying pans and other utensils, I feel my stomach doing flips. Why is it he unsettles me so? Not many people are able to, but he can. It reminds me of the feelings I get when I get close to Jack, my Protector. His blue eyes always are so unsettling….. but Ulquiorra's are different. His eyes are a vibrant green, but a cold, winter green that seems to hold nothing but a deep hidden darkness all throughout. Nothing can escape its grasp. I look up in time to make sure the eggs don't burn and flip them over. I have a feeling this is going to be another long day.

I bring out breakfast on a tray, and let me say, this smells like heaven! Bacon and eggs with pancakes and other great breakfast foods! But the reaction I got from the other Arrancars was just priceless. Nnoitra, Dordoni, Tesra, and Gantenbainne dig right into the pancakes, devouring them like mad men. Cirucci and Granz study the food before putting a small forkful in their mouths and nearly swoon with happiness. But the best reaction in my opinion is Ulquiorra's. First he looks at the pancakes and bacon, then back at me with a look of confusion. I take a plate and plop three pancakes and two slices of bacon on it and place it in front of him. "Just try it, Ulquiorra," I say. "I think you'll love it, or something Espada-like that's close to love." Without another word, he slowly picks up the fork, takes a piece of the pancake, and puts it in his mouth. And his eyes, I swear to God, lit up. I stifle a laugh as I taste the food and nearly die myself. It has been too long since I've had a good meal like this.

Dordoni and Nnoitra, however, are now having a spat. "The last pancake is mine, Fraccion!" hisses Nnoitra, his smile venomous. "Dream on, _Nino_! That is my pancake, and I deserve it because our lady made it for us!" spits Dordoni. Teeth are bared and the table is starting to shake. "Guys!" I say, but it's too late. Gantenbainne stole the last pancake and ate in one large bite. The silence in the room is overwhelming. "Thank you, Amelia," says Gantenbainne, smiling widely and putting his hands behind his orange afro. I burst out laughing, my hand on my full stomach. They all stare at me, but I don't care. "Y-you all are worse than my friends back home!" I sputter. "We fight over breakfast all the time, but this is so much funnier!" I feel tears come to my eyes and I stop. "I'm glad you all enjoyed your first breakfast," I say. Dordoni glares at Nnoitra, then smiles at me, "You're an amazing cook, _Bebe._ Thank you!"

They all nod their approval and I smile. This is so much fun; too bad I'm an Espada, but what the hell, right? Granz, Nnoitra, Tesra, and Ulquiorra stand up and get ready to leave. "Thank you so much for that wonderful… um, what did you call it again?" Granz says. "Breakfast, Granz," I say. "And you're welcome. Come back anytime!" I think I invited trouble, but hey, at least I have friends here in Hueco Mundo. After they file out, I turn and see that Ulquiorra is still there, but he isn't looking at me. I feel something from him, something that seems to be troubling him. "Ulquiorra, are you alright?" I ask him quietly. He doesn't speak, move, nothing. He stands there, his head bent, his body stiff. I do the one thing I think might startle him: I touch him. It's a light touch, a brush of the fingers on his shoulder, but it is electrifying. He turns suddenly at the touch, his green eyes wide. I pull my hand back, shocked as well. Why did I do that again?

"Why?" he says, that one word filling the room with somberness. I'm confused now. "Why what, Ulquiorra?" He turns all the way, his focus on me. "Why do you do this to me?" he continues, his voice seemingly strained. Is that a look of anguish on his face? "These…. sensations are overtaking me and causing me to act strangely, making me feel sick almost. What have you done to me?" Sensations? What is he talking about? "What are you saying, Ulquiorra?" I ask. "What's going on?" He continues, "I am having dreams, feelings that and Espada should not have. They didn't start until you came. This must be something you have done to me, some sort of hidden power you have that you haven't exposed. What have you done to me?"

I just realized something; he is grabbing me by the shoulders. The shoulders. This is very awkward. I am trying not to notice, but his hands are as cold as ice, and suddenly I want to kiss him. I want to bury myself into his arms and just stay there for a long time. But, dammit, his eyes are like freakin magnets holding me in place. I think I am blushing because my face is so hot. "U-Ulquiorra," I say, so quietly it's nearly a whisper, "I haven't done anything. What you are feeling, right now, is completely human. Ulquiorra, I think you're finally discovering your heart." The silence in the room is stifling. He stares at me, his eyes wide. It nearly pains me to see him like this, suffering because of his unused and newly-found heart. His hands fall to his sides and he stands there, looking like a human being. I can't help it now. I wrap my arms around him, feeling his body stiffen, and rest my head on his chest, closing my eyes. He is so cold, it feels amazing. "Don't worry, Ulquiorra," I say. "I have been suffering the same way you have. You aren't alone. Whatever storm is raging in your heart, I understand." God, he is so cold. I guess being the Legacy of Fire can make you appreciate the cold, because it is so comforting. I realize now that his arms are still at his sides, but that's okay.

Because, if I listen closely, I can hear his heart stirring.


	12. Chapter 11: Remember

The dreams are still there.

Every time I open my eyes, every time I close them, all I see is the tree, the face, the midnight hair in the moonlight, and I feel the heart move in my chest. It is painful, this heart that beats so furiously beneath my chest. So many thoughts, so many messages it sends shooting through my mind that sometimes I can't think. Sometimes, even the silence is no longer silence, but noise, a sea of endless noise.

I open my eyes and look up at the ceiling. There is nothing but her face plastered there. I look next to me, feeling something warm and solid. Something I can touch. And there she lies, her eyes closed and her face, her pale and lined face, pressed against my chest. I can hear her breathing; feel her limbs and body twitch. For an Espada, she is still so human. She astounds me even when she sleeps. My hand rests on her hair, her midnight hair, and I can't seem to let go. It shines in the moonlight, but not because of the pale light of the moon, but from something internal. The fire that apparently lives within her is pouring out, warm light escaping her soul.

I can't move, nor can I even blink. I can't take my eye off of her for one second. I reach to my throat and feel the hole there, black and hollow. But I know it isn't empty. Something lives there and I have come to terms with that. What I don't understand is how quickly these feelings manifested themselves. For the first time in my existence, I feel awake.

She stirs suddenly under my arms, and her eyes open slightly. Her lips twitch into a smile and she tilts her head to look at me. "Hey," she says to me, her voice quite. Her mask gleams white in the moonlight and her eyes, like that of a dragon, are warm. I say nothing, feeling better in the silence, as I always have. Silence is my companion, as is loneliness. Or at least, they were. "How long have I been asleep?" she asks, lifting herself up and laying her head on my shoulder. "About an hour," I say, resting my hand on hers. It felt like only a few minutes. I see her smile from the corner of my eye. "You seem different, Ulquiorra," she says to me, her voice quiet. I turn to her, filled with wonder. "How do you mean?" I ask. "I am the same as I've always been." She laughs and shakes her head. "Your demeanor is different. You're becoming more human."

I say nothing. What can I say to that, but protest it. I don't feel human; I am still an Espada. "You don't have to be afraid of being human," she continues. "Every living soul was once human at one point or another. Even Aizen was once human, as were you before you became a Hollow. Embrace it, Ulquiorra." She places her hand against the hole in my neck, fingering the edges gently. "I find that impossible to believe," I reply, looking down at her. She stares at me, her eyes searching for something on my face.

A knock comes at the door, interrupting the silence.

"Hello! Anyone there?" I freeze. Gin is at the door, probably with a message from Aizen. The door opens and Gin's head appears, his perpetually closed eyes and cat-like smile greeting us. The silence that I have always clung to comes back and all I can do is stare. What could Aizen possibly want? "I knew I would find you here, Ulquiorra," he leers, walking closer to us. Amelia stiffens and sits up, her fists balled and her eyes locked on Gin. "What the hell do you want, Ichimaru?" she asks, her voice now the deep, firm voice it usually is. Gin only smiles despite the sarcasm and rudeness in her voice. "Lord Aizen has something that he needs Ulquiorra to do," he says. "And it simple must be done." He looks at me again.

"Come with me, Ulquiorra. We mustn't keep Lord Aizen waiting."

He walks out the door with Ichimaru, his hands at his sides as usual.

I get this sinking feeling, down in the pit of my stomach, in the very pit of my dark soul, that what Aizen is calling Ulquiorra for will be terrible. Aizen has been quiet for too long, ever since the battle with Nnoitra and his helping me with a Fraccion. I don't understand, I don't know, and it's killing me. And, above all, I think in the long run it will hurt Ulquiorra the most. Dear God, please let me be wrong!

Now I sit here, alone in the moonlight. There is nothing like being alone in a dark room with just yourself and your thoughts buzzing at a thousand miles per second. Suddenly, I feel light headed and it feels like the walls are crashing in around me. I have to get out of this room.

I have to get out of Las Noches.

I close my eyes, and when they open I no longer am in the depths of Las Noches. The sky here is a grayish blue, with rust colored clouds floating past a pale sun. The ground beneath me is asphalt and buildings, old and crumbling buildings surround are to my left and right. Sidewalks cut straight to the horizon, cracks and weeds decorating the concrete. This is my inner world, the depths of my soul, and the home of Hadie, my Zanpakuto. But where is she? She seems to be hiding. "Hadie?" I call out, my voice echoing off the walls. I have a bad feeling….


End file.
